ia 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 


The  Heart  of  Nami-San 

(HOTOTOGISU) 

A  Story  of  War,  Intrigue  and  Love 
By    KENJIRO    TOKUTOMI 


English  Version  with  Introduction 
by  ISAAC  GOLDBERG 


BOSTON 

THE    STRATFORD    COMPANY 

1918 


Copyright   1918 

The  STRATFORD  CO.,  Publishers 
Boston,  Mass. 


The  Alpine  Frees,  Boston,  Mass.,  U.  S.  A. 


Sterne 


with  the  Esteem  of  the 
Translator 


CONTENTS 


Introduction xi 

PART  I 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.     On  Their  Honeymoon         ...  1 

II.     Nami  Kataoka 12 

III.  Pern  Gathering          ....  20 

IV.  The  Yamaki  Household     ...  33 
V.     At  the  General's  Home     ...  53 

VI.     The  Mother-in-Law     ....  73 

VII.     On  His   Cruise           ....  91 

PART  II 

I.     Home  Again 101 

II.     The  Reception  at  Yamaki 's      .        .  118 

III.  An  Exchange  of  Confidences     .         .  136 

IV.  At  Zushi 151 

V.     Revenge! 176 

VI.    Mother  and  Son          ....  184 

VII.     The  Candidate  for  Nami's  Place        .  203 

VIII.    Yamaki 's  Talk  with  the  General       .  218 

IX.     Nami  Returns  to  Her  Father's  Home  225 

X.     The  Quarrel 236 

vii 


CONTENTS 
PART  III 

CHAPTER 

I.     The  Battle  of  Yalu  Eiver        .        .  245 

II.    In  Time  of  War        ....  272 

III.  Recovery 291 

IV.  Temptation 300 

V.     The  Story  Told  by  the  "Yaso"  815 

VI.     Port  Arthur       ....  333 

VII.     The  Return  of  Takeo         ...  341 

VIII.    As  Two  Trains  Passed       ...  348 

IX.     Sayonara!  .        .  356 

X.     The  Meeting  at  the  Cemetery     .        .  366 


vni 


Introduction 


INTRODUCTION 


WITH  the  rapid  rise  of  Japan  as  a  power, 
especially  since  the  outbreak  of  the  pres- 
ent conflict,  has  come  an  increase  of  interest 
in  the  land  of  the  Eising  Sun  that  has  not  been  slow 
to  show  itself  in  the  number  of  books  published  about 
Japan.  For  many  years  before  the  war,  indeed, 
Nippon  has  always  been  a  source  of  picturesque  study 
and  that  strange  pleasure  which  comes  from  an  ac- 
quaintance with  things  exotic, — a  pleasure  often 
mingled,  no  doubt,  with  a  sense  of  our  own  superiority 
over  the  peoples  we  happen  to  be  reading  about. 
Many  of  us,  too,  without  knowing  a  single  word  of 
Japanese  (except,  perhaps,  "Banzai,"  which  literally 
means  "ten  thousand  years"  and  in  practise  corres- 
ponds to  our  "hurrah"  or  shouts  of  good  wishes  and 
victory)  have  long  discoursed  quite  knowingly  about 
jinrikishas,  Japanese  prints,  Fujiyama,  Madame  But- 
terfly, and  even  hummed  the  Japanese  "national 
hymn, ' '  —  the  one,  at  least,  that  Sullivan  announces 
with  those  enchanting  strokes  of  the  kettle-drum  in 
the  overture  to  "The  Mikado."  We  have  heard  some- 
thing, too,  about  that  ticklish  process  known  as  hara- 
kiri,  and  even  seen  it  suggested  in  the  realistic  "mov- 
ies!" But  how  near  to  the  real  Japan  has  all  this 
brought  us?  How  near  to  the  flesh  and  blood  crea- 

xi 


INTRODUCTION 

tures  like  ourselves,  with  our  same  joys  and  despairs, 
our  same  aspirations,  —  how  near  to  the  men  and 
women  that  love  and  hate  and  cheat  and  intrigue  and 
by  other  similar  tokens  show  that  we  are  brothers 
and  sisters  under  the  skin  ?  What  do  we  know  of  the 
Japanese  literature  that  is  reflecting  modern  Japan- 
ese life?  Something  of  their  stage,  particularly  the 
classical  stage,  has  come  to  our  knowledge  through 
various  interpretations  of  the  "Noh;"  a  few  stray 
books  and  newspaper  articles  have  mentioned  the  con- 
temporary drama.  Art,  perhaps,  has  been  better 
favored.  Of  the  modern  Japanese  novel,  however,  we 
know  nothing. 

This  should  lend  added  interest,  then,  to  one  of 
the  most  successful  books  written  in  Japan  in  recent 
years.  A  book  that  has  sold  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  copies  in  Japan  alone,  and  that  has  gone  into  more 
than  a  hundred  editions,  must  contain  something  that 
reaches  to  the  heart  of  a  Japanese  problem.  Such  a 
book  is  the  present  novel,  ' '  The  Heart  of  Nami-San, ' ' 
by  Kenjiro  Tokutomi,  long  known  as  one  of  Japan's 
leading  novelists.  Tokutomi,  because  of  his  leader- 
ship of  the  movement  to  introduce  Western  thought 
into  the  minds  of  his  countrymen,  and  because  of 
certain  literary  resemblances  and  influences,  has  been 
called  the  Japanese  Tolstoi.  "The  Heart  of  Nami- 
San,"  the  Japanese  title  of  which  is  "  Hototogisu, " 
is  looked  upon  as  his  masterpiece. 

The  original  title  itself  is  at  once  symbolic,  ono- 
rnatopoetic  and  deeply  expressive.  As  onomatopoia  it 
represents  the  cry  of  the  Japanese  cuckoo,  plaintive 

xii 


INTRODUCTION 

in  sound  and  haunting  in  portent.  Among  the  Japan- 
ese, we  are  told,  the  cuckoo  is  considered  as  the  sym- 
bol of  hopeless  love,  consuming  itself  in  vain  effort 
and  suspense.  The  actual  significance  of  the  charac- 
ters employed  to  form  the  word  are  " sooner  death!" 
This,  indeed,  is  the  name  that  has  been  given  to  the 
French  translation  of  the  work. 

In  order  to  appreciate  the  story  to  the  full  we 
should  remember  that  the  matter  of  marriage  and 
particularly  the  part  played  in  it  by  the  parents-in- 
law  in  Japan  has  been  far  different  from  the  customs 
of  our  own  country.  One  writer  upon  the  history 
of  Japan  and  its  culture  explains  that  ' '  The  Japanese 
married  woman  is  no  longer  considered  the  daughter 
of  her  parents  but  as  the  daughter  of  her  parents-in- 
law.  And  often  her  mother-in-law  maltreats  her,  im- 
posing the  most  disagreeable  duties  and  at  times  even 
hating  her.  Ill  betide  her  who  should  dare  to  cry  out 
against  the  persecution;  her  lack  of  filial  obedience 
would  be  regarded  as  a  crime.  More  than  one  man 
in  Japan  has  been  forced  to  repudiate  a  beloved  wife 
whom  his  mother  found  not  docile  enough  and  too 
high-spirited. ' ' 

Another  brilliant  French  writer,  in  a  work  that 
has  been  crowned  by  The  Academic  Franchise  (Lud- 
ovic  Naudeau,  in  Le  Japan  Moderne:  Son  Evolution) 
gives  an  even  more  vivid  picture  of  the  general  posi- 
tion of  woman  in  modern  Japanese  society.  "In 
Japan,"  he  tells  us,  "the  social  unit  is  never  the 
individual,  but  always  the  family.  No  matter  what 
should  happen,  the  children  may  never  be  removed 

xiii 


INTRODUCTION 

from  the  paternal  family,  the  only  one  that  counts, 
and  must  there  celebrate  the  cult  of  their  ancestors. 
Here,  too,  we  find  striking  analogies  between  the 
constitution  of  the  Japanese  family  and  that  of  the 
family  in  Greek  and  Roman  antiquity.  In  the  Japan 
of  our  days,  as  in  the  Cite  Antique  that  Fustel  de 
Coulanges  has  so  well  studied,  the  young  girl,  from 
the  moment  of  her  marriage,  is  severed  from  all  ties 
and  all  legal  relationships  binding  her  to  those  who 
have  given  life  to  her.  She  leaves  her  home  forever 
and  is  adopted  by  her  husband's  family.  .  .  .  But 
should  any  dispute  arise  between  her  and  her  hus- 
band, and  divorce  result  therefrom,  she  can  in  no  case 
whatsoever  take  her  children  with  her."  The  italics 
are  those  of/ M.  Naudeau. 

We  quote  this  passage  not  because  the  question  of 
children  is  involved  in  the  novel  here  presented,  but 
to  show  one  important  phase  of  the  subjection  of 
woman  in  Japan.  More  to  our  chief  purpose  is 
another  passage  from  the  same  delightfully  written, 
informative  volume. 

"  It  is  the  duty  of  the  legitimate  wife  to  rise  before 
her  husband  each  morning  and  to  direct  the  work  of 
all  the  household  servants  in  the  daily  tasks,  taking 
part  in  them  herself.  She  must  consider  herself  first 
of  all  as  her  husband's  servant,  not  eating  with  him 
unless  he  deigns  to  invite  her.  She  must,  moreover, 
submit  blindly  to  the  orders  of  her  lord  and  master's 
mother,  and  these  are  very  often  of  a  most  imperious 
nature;  national  custom,  in  fact,  requires  her  to  be- 
hold in  her  mother-in-law  a  spiritual  directress;  Jap- 

xiv 


INTEODUCTION 

anese  mothers  retain,  as  long  as  they  live,  a  singular 
power  over  the  minds  of  their  sons;  they  can  easily 
obtain  the  repudiation  of  a  rebellious  daughter-in- 
law." 

From  the  same  authority  we  learn  that  the  question 
of  divorce  is  a  most  serious  one  in  Japan.  Among 
the  common  people  fifty  per  cent  of  the  marriages 
end  in  divorce.  Nor  is  it  rare  for  men  and  women 
to  marry  five  or  six  times  during  their  lives.  Nat- 
urally to  these  questions  are  related  those  of  prostitu- 
tion and  concubinage  in  Japan ;  these  problems,  how- 
ever, are  of  no  direct  concern  to  us  here.  Most  im- 
portant to  remember,  for  better  appreciation  of  this 
novel,  is  the  fact  that  the  two  great  traditional  virtues 
of  the  Japanese  are  the  cult  of  ancestors  and  filial 
devotion.  This  helps  us  to  understand  much  of  what 
the  hero  and  heroine  do  in  the  pages  that  follow. 

"We  must  not,  however,  make  the  error  of  placing 
this  eastern  empire  alongside  our  western  yardsticks 
and  measuring  its  morals  or  its  manners  exclus- 
ively by  our  standards.  Yet  the  great  reception  ac- 
corded to  the  tale  which  in  our  version  we  call  "The 
Heart  of  Nami-San, "  and  the  immense  popularity 
which  it  still  enjoys,  show  that  it  struck  to  the  very 
core  of  a  national  question. 

As  to  the  origin  of  the  noted  tale  we  are  enlightened 
by  a  full  statement  from  the  author  himself.  Upon 
the  occasion  of  the  appearance  of  the  hundredth  edi- 
tion of  the  novel  Tokutomi  took  the  opportunity  of 
telling  the  circumstances  attending  the  genesis  of 
"Hototogisu." 

XV 


INTRODUCTION 

The  author  relates  that  the  first  idea  of  the  story 
came  to  him  while  he  was  sojourning  at  Zushi,  in  the 
province  of  Sagami,  at  hotel  Yanagiya,  whither  had 
come  also  a  convalescing  woman  accompanied  by  a 
child.  It  was  the  height  of  the  summer  season  and  all 
the  hotels  were  overcrowded.  Tokutomi  felt  compas- 
sion for  the  woman,  who  could  find  no  place,  and  ar- 
ranged with  his  wife  to  yield  part  of  their  apartments 
to  the  sick  lady.  Instead  of  a  partition,  a  mere  bam- 
boo blind  separated  them,  and  all  conversation,  of 
course,  could  be  heard.  The  woman,  about  thirty-four 
or  thirty-five  years  old  had  suffered  much.  It  was 
from  her  lips  that  the  story  came  which  was  later  to 
be  embodied  in  ' '  Hototogisu. "  From  her  Tokutomi 
heard  of  the  repudiation  of  a  daughter-in-law  because 
of  her  illness,  of  the  husband's  grief,  of  the  indigna- 
tion felt  by  the  father  of  the  girl,  his  building  a  spe- 
cial villa  for  her,  his  trip  with  her  to  Kyoto  and  Osaka 
before  her  death,  the  refusal  of  the  Kawashima 
flowers,  and  other  details.  As  the  teller  of  the  tale 
came  to  the  end  of  her  story  she  burst  into  tears,  and 
seemed  to  say,  ' '  Yes,  I  don 't  care  to  be  born  a  woman 
again!"  The  novelist  was  much  affected  by  what  he 
had  seen  and  heard.  "So  that  whatever  insipid  there 
is  in  my  novel,"  he  wrote,  "is  due  to  my  own  inabil- 
ity; and  if,  despite  that,  there  is  anything  that  en- 
gages the  reader,  I  got  that  from  the  mouth  of  a 
woman,  one  summer's  night:  it  is  Nami  herself  that 
gives  it  to  you,  dear  reader. 

....  "In  sum,  my  role  has  been  simply  that  of  a 
telegraph  wire,  —  that  of  a  transmitter." 

xvi 


INTRODUCTION 

"Hototogisu"  is  a  book  of  love,  war,  intrigue, 
satire,  passion,  struggle,  defeat,  victory.  It  abounds 
in  pages  of  excellent  character  study,  in  moments  of 
genuine  humor,  in  paragraphs  of  charming  poetry. 
Founded  upon  a  real  tale,  its  essential  realism  does 
not  prevent  touches  of  charming  symbolism  and  the 
engaging  appearance  of  the  author's  own  opinions 
and  comments. 

The  very  opening  of  the  book  contains  a  charmingly 
symbolic  touch.  From  the  hotel  at  which  she  and  her 
husband  are  stopping,  Nami  is  watching  the  beautiful 
sunset.  (When  an  Italian  next  stops  you  and  tells 
you  to  see  Naples  ere  you  die,  ask  your  Japanese  friend 
about  Fujiyama.)  Her  eye  is  struck  by  two  clouds, 
rising  together  in  the  sky.  Slowly  the  cloudlets  leave 
the  peaks  of  Akagi,  shining  in  the  setting  sun  like  two 
golden  butterflies,  winging  together  through  the  air. 
The  sun  sets;  the  clouds  turn  purple  and  the  cold 
evening  breeze  arises,  parting  them.  For  a  few 
moments  they  sail  in  the  darkening  sky;  the  smaller 
of  the  clouds  grows  gradually  smaller  still,  and  at  last 
disappears.  The  other  cloud  changes  from  purple  to 
ash-gray.  Night  has  come. 

What  are  these  clouds  but  Nami  and  Takeo  ?  What 
is  the  glorious  sunset  but  a  forestate  of  their  own  sor- 
row, following  so  close  across  the  threshold  of  a  happy 
marriage?  What  is  the  cold  evening  wind  but  the 
blighting  breath  of  Chijiwa  and  the  mother-in-law, 
that  separates  the  lovers  even  as  the  wind  parts  the 
clouds?  And  when  the  smaller  of  the  clouds  disap- 
pears in  the  distance,  who  is  it  but  Nami's  ailing 

xvii 


INTRODUCTION 

self,  dying  at  last  when  she  had  been  separated  from 
her  husband?  And  what  is  the  ash-gray  cloud  but 
Takeo,  left  alone  in  his  night  of  sorrows? 

So  happy,  so  natural,  so  unobtrusive  a  symbolic 
summary  of  a  tale  at  its  very  beginning,  all  within 
the  space  of  a  couple  of  hundred  words,  is  hard  to 
meet  anywhere.  Thus,  in  a  literary  as  well  as  a 
literal  sense,  does  the  beginning  contain  the  end. 

The  author's  satire  against  the  elements  in  Japan- 
ese society  that  are  not  averse  to  growing  rich  at 
the  nation's  expense  reveals  conditions  in  the  east 
that  are  not  unknown  in  the  west.  Indeed,  the  book 
appeals  to  the  western  reader  in  a  surprising  degree, 
despite  the  customs  upon  which  the  novel  is  founded. 
In  recent  times  Japan  has  changed  in  standing  before 
the  nations  of  the  world;  it  has  fought  Russia  and 
won ;  it  is  now  fighting  Germany.  But  the  hearts  that 
beat  on  every  page  of  "Hototogisu"  run  with  the 
same  red  blood  that  coursed  through  the  hearts  of 
centuries  ago ;  the  passions  that  spring  therefrom  talk 
to  us  through  the  barriers  of  custom  and  language. 
The  American  reader  will  find  much  to  like  in  the 
tale  of  Nami  and  Takeo  because,  at  bottom,  the  suf- 
ferings and  joys  of  love  are  much  the  same  the  world 
over.* 

ISAAC  GOLDBERG 
Roxbury,  Mass. 
July,  1918. 


This   version   is   bms«d   upon   continental   translations. 

xviii 


Part  I 


CHAPTER  I 

On  Their  Honeymoon 

FROM  the  third  story  veranda  of  the 
Chigira  Hotel  at  Ikao,  the  renowned 
hot  springs  resort  of  the  province  of 
Kozuke,  a  young  lady  stands  gazing  at  the  en- 
chanting view  that  stretches  beneath  the  rays 
of  the  setting  sun.  She  looks  like  a  girl  of 
eighteen,  only  for  her  artistic  head-dress,  with 
her  tresses  crowned  by  a  dignified  marumage? 
thus  revealing  the  married  woman.  She  wears 
a  gown  of  ash-colored  crape,  open  at  the  neck 
and  at  the  wrists,  showing  an  elegant  bodice  of 
pale  green  silk.  The  contrast  of  these  two 
colors  produces  a  most  delicate  effect,  but  no 
more  delicate  than  that  which  may  be  discerned 
between  the  pallor  of  her  face  and  her  jet  black 
eyebrows,  which  almost  unite  in  a  single  arch. 
Her  agile,  supple  body,  the  genteel  expression 
of  her  glance,  the  perfect  oval  of  her  aristo- 

1  The  'marumage'  is  the  round  style  of  head-dress  belonging  to  a 
married  woman.  The  'shimada'  ia  the  style  assumed  by 
singers,  geishas  and  young  girls  of  elegance.  The  'sokuhatsu' 
is  the  European  fashion,  indiscriminately  adopted  by  the  mar- 
ried and  unmarried. 

[1] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

cratic  profile,  call  to  mind  a  flower:  not  the 
plum  blossom  that  fearlessly  defies  the  cold 
blasts  of  the  north  wind,  nor  the  cherry  blossom 
whose  petals  float  gaily  to  the  ground,  like 
butterflies,  in  the  fruitful  awakening  of  spring, 
but  of  a  diffident  little  daisy  opening  in  the 
twilight  of  a  warm  summer  evening. 

The  hills  of  Nikko  and  Ashio  are  silhouetted 
in  the  west  against  a  fiery  sky,  and  nearby  the 
summits  of  the  isolated  peaks  Onoko,  Komochi 
and  Akagi  glisten  in  an  aureole  of  golden  rays. 
The  cawing  of  a  flock  of  crows  rising  in  flight 
from  a  neighboring  thicket  spreads  clear,  pierc- 
ing notes;  two  small  clouds,  bathed  in  fire, 
detach  themselves  from  the  peak  of  Akagi. 
The  lady  with  the  pale  face  notices  the  two 
white  cloudlets  and  fixes  her  gaze  upon  them  as 
if  to  follow  their  course. 

At  their  first  appearance  they  were  so  small 
and  so  close  together  that  she  might  have 
folded  her  arms  about  both  of  them.  .  .  Now 
they  rise,  rise,  each  by  itself,  into  the  immensity 
of  the  resplendent  blue,  always  near  together, 
like  two  butterflies  with  golden  wings.  The  sun 
sinks  behind  the  distant  hills,  the  evening  breeze 
blows,  and  the  two  wandering  clouds  seem  to 
be  enveloped  by  a  pale,  rose-colored  nimbus. 

[2] 


ON  THEIR  HONEYMOON 

Suddenly  they  separate,  wandering  far  off, 
scurrying  in  the  violet-colored  heavens.  After 
a  few  moments  the  smaller  of  the  clouds,  unable 
to  rise  higher  and  floating  toward  the  horizon, 
disappears  without  leaving  a  trace,  as  if  by 
magic.  Above,  the  other  cloudlet,  which  no 
longer  shines,  wanders  in  solitude,  opaline  in 
the  gray  of  dusk,  as  if  without  a  goal. 

Night  falls  rapidly,  mantling  the  distant  hills 
and  veiling  the  violet  blue  of  the  sky.  .  .  The 
pale  face  of  the  lady  is  the  only  white,  almost 
luminous  note  in  the  sombre  monotony  of  the 
darkness. 

"Miss!  .  .  .  Pardon  me  .  .  .  how  forgetful 
of  me!"  exclaimed  old  Iku  gaily,  coming  into 
the  room.  "Madame!  Here  I  am,  back  again. 
How  dark  it  is!  Madame  Nami,  where  are 
you?" 

"Here  I  am,"  replied  the  young  lady  with  a 
start. 

"What!  Still  outside?  Come  in  directly, 
madame.  Colds  are  dangerous.  Hasn't  the 
baron  returned  yet?" 

"What  can  have  happened  to  him?"  mur- 
mured Nami,  as  she  closed  the  door.  "Iku, 
we  had  better  send  somebody  to  meet  him. ' ' 

[3] 


THE   HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

"Madame  is  right.    I'll  go  at  once." 

Iku,  who  had  in  the  meantime  been  groping 
about  for  a  m^tch,  lighted  the  lamp ;  someone 's 
soft  footfalls  were  heard  coming  up  the  stairs 
and  a  girl  hurried  into  the  room  with  a  letter, 
which  she  handed  to  Iku. 

"Thanks.  The  baron  is  somewhat  late. 
Please  send  a  boy  to  look  for  him.  Madame, 
here  is  a  letter." 

"A  letter  from  my  father!  .  .  .  But  why 
doesn't  Takeo  come?"  sighed  the  lady,  gazing 
at  the  well-known  handwriting  on  the  envelope. 

"A  letter  from  my  master?"  asked  Iku. 
"How  I'd  like  to  know  what  news  it  brings! 
He  must  have  written  some  funny  things,  as 
usual." 

The  girl  went  out  after  having  closed  all  the 
windows  and  stirred  the  fire,  while  Iku  placed 
into  a  wall-closet  a  bundle  of  linens  that  she  had 
brought,  and  approached  the  lady,  saying  with 
a  sigh,  * '  How  cold  it  is  here  I  What  a  difference 
from  Tokyo!" 

"Do  you  really  think  so,  Iku?  Cherry  trees 
blossom  here  in  the  month  of  May!  Come,  sit 
down  closer  to  me." 

"With  your  permission,"  murmured  the  old 
woman  respectfully,  taking  a  seat  at  the  side 


ON   THEIR   HONEYMOON 

of  her  mistress;  then,  looking  at  her  with  an 
expression  of  deep  emotion  and  affection,  she 
added  in  a  louder  voice,  "It's  all  so  much  like 
a  dream  when  I  recall  that  the  lady  before  me, 
so  elegant  in  her  marumage,  is  the  same  crea- 
ture that  I  rocked  in  my  arms !  It  seems  only 
yesterday  that  while  your  mother  was  dying,  a 
little  baby,  sitting  in  my  lap,  cried  '  Mamma ! ' 

And  her  eyes  brimming  with  tears  at  the 
sadness  of  the  recollection,  the  poor  woman 
continued, '  *  On  the  day  of  your  wedding  I  could 
not  help  thinking  how  happy  your  mother  would 
have  been  to  see  her  daughter  so  beautiful  in 
her  bridal  clothes." 

Iku  wiped  her  eyes,  while  the  lady  bowed 
her  head,  engrossed  in  thoughts  of  painful  re- 
gret. By  the  dim  light  of  the  lamp  the  jewel 
in  her  wedding  ring  shone  upon  her  small  hand. 

The  old  woman  raised  her  glance  and  spoke 
in  a  timid  voice. 

"Forgive  me.  I  spoke  thoughtlessly.  I'm 
going  into  my  second  childhood.  Madame  .  .  . 
dear  madamc,  how  much  you  have  suffered  in 
your  youthful  years!  It's  wonderful  that  you 
should  have  survived  so  many  sad  happen- 
ings! .  .  .  Ah!  But  from  this  day  forward 
everything  will  be  so  beautiful,  so  sweet  for 

[5] 


THE   HEART   OF    NAMI-SAN 

you.  Your  husband  is  so  affectionate  and  so 
good!" 

At  this  moment  the  voice  of  the  girl  was 
heard  crying  from  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  "The 
baron  has  returned." 

"Heavens,  how  tired  I  am!"  exclaimed  a 
young  man  of  about  twenty-three,  dressed  in 
European  fashion,  while  he  lay  aside  his 
Japanese  sandals  on  the  threshold  and  ad- 
vanced with  a  bow  and  a  smile  toward  the 
young  woman  who  had  already  come  forward 
to  meet  him.  Suddenly  he  turned,  as  if  struck 
by  a  thought,  and  said  to  a  boy  who  had  fol- 
lowed him,  "You  may  go,  my  lad.  But  first 
give  the  madame  those  flowers." 

"Oh,  how  beautiful!"  exclaimed  Nami  gaily. 

"What  magnificent  azaleas!"  added  Iku. 
"Where  did  you  find  them,  Baron!" 

"I  should  say  they  are  magnificent.  Nami- 
san,9  look  at  this  yellow-golden  one.  Tomorrow 
you  '11  arrange  them  yourself,  as  only  your  little 
fairy  fingers  can!  .  .  .  And  now  you  must  ex- 
cuse me ;  Pm  off  to  take  a  bath. ' ' 

Some  moments  after  the  baron  had  left  Iku 
broke  the  silence. 

•  'San*  is  a  contraction  of  'Sama.'  It  is  equivolent  to  Miss  or  Mr., 
being  used  for  both  sexes,  and  is  an  honorary  suffix.  'Ko. ' 
which  occurs  later;  is  also  an  honorary  particle,  added  to  the 
first  name  of  upper  class  women. 

[6] 


ON   THEIR   HONEYMOON 

'  *  The  baron  is  so  happy,  so  full  of  life !  All 
the  naval  officers  are  high-spirited  fellows, 
aren't  they,  Madame  Nami?" 

The  young  wife  smiled  without  replying,  as 
she  carefully  brushed  the  coat  that  her  husband 
had  taken  off,  and  after  having  furtively 
touched  it  with  her  lips  she  placed  it  in  the 
closet. 

A  little  later,  quick,  heavy  steps  were  heard 
upon  the  staircase,  and  the  young  man  entered, 
exclaiming  gleefully,  "How  much  better  I  feel 
now ! '  * 

"The  baron  took  his  bath  quite  quickly,** 
observed  Iku. 

"Naturally!  .  .  .  Men  are  so  much  quicker 
than  women ! ' ' 

His  hearty  laughter  still  echoed  through  the 
room  as,  aided  by  his  wife,  he  donned  an  elegant 
striped,  embroidered  kimono.  Then,  tailor 
fashion,  he  sank  down  upon  the  cushions*  with 
a  deep  sigh  of  relief  and  rubbed  his  cheeks 
gently  with  both  hands.  He  wore  his  hair  short 
and  his  round  head  had  a  dark  chestnut  color, 
while  his  face,  tanned  by  the  sun,  looked  as 
red  as  an  apple.  His  eyebrows  were  deep  black, 

8  The  Japanese  ordinarily  sit  down  with  their  knees  close  together 
on  the  mat,  resting  their  backs  against  their  heels.  To  sit  down 
tailor-fashion  is  a  sign  of  great  intimacy. 

[7] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

his  eyes  sparkled  with  life,  and  despite  a  thick 
mustache  his  face  preserved  a  childish  expres- 
sion that  invited  people  to  smile  at  him. 

" A  letter  for  you,  dear,"  said  Nami,  hand- 
ing him  the  message. 

''From  my  father,  I  believe."  The  young 
man  arose  slightly  from  the  cushions  and 
opened  the  letter,  from  which  fell  a  small,  sealed 
envelope.  "Here's  a  little  letter  for  Nami- 
san ...  It  seems  that  they're  all  well  at  Akasaka. 
Ah!  Ah!  As  jolly  as  ever!  I  imagine  I  can 
hear  his  very  voice  !•"  And  with  a  smile  he  laid 
aside  the  letter. 

"Iku,  my  father  charges  me  to  tell  you  to  be 
very  careful  with  your  health,  because,  since 
you're  not  used  to  this  climate,  your  rheumatic 
pains  might  come  back." 

"How  good  it  is  of  him  to  keep  me  so  well 
in  mind,"  replied  the  old  woman,  who  was  just 
finishing  her  preparations  for  the  evening  meal. 

"How  welcome  food  is,"  exclaimed  Takeo, 
"after  an  outing  that  has  lasted  all  day  long! 
I  ate  only  two  rice  tarts  and  I'm  as  hungry  as 
a  wolf  .  .  .  What  do  you  call  this  fish,  Iku  ?  Do 
you  think  it 's  what  is  known  in  this  province  as 
yamame? 

"Yes,  sir.     And  it's  really  very  delicious. 

[8] 


ON   THEIR  HONEYMOON 

Taste  some  of  this  rice,  too.  The  baron  seems 
to  be  quite  starved ! ' ' 

"Naturally.  Just  imagine.  After  having 
climbed  to  the  top  of  Mount  Soma  I  crossed 
to  Futatsu-take.  I  was  among  the  rocks  of 
Byobu  when  I  met  the  boy  you  sent  after  me." 

"You  went  as  far  as  that?"  exclaimed  Nami. 

"Yes.  What  a  beautiful  view  you  get  from 
Mount  Soma.  On  one  side  stretches  a  vast 
valley  crossed  by  the  silver  ribbon  of  the  Tone, 
the  largest  river  in  Japan;  on  the  other  you 
behold  an  endless  chain  of  hills,  and  in  the  dis- 
tance, above  their  summits,  I  could  make  out 
indistinctly  the  snowy  cap  of  Fujiyama.  If  I 
were  a  poet,  I  would  have  dared  to  defy  our 
Hitomaro4  .  .  .  What  a  pity  that  he's  been  dead 
for  more  than  a  thousand  years!  ..."  And 
Takeo  laughed  heartily. 

"How  beautiful  it  must  be!  I,  too,  should 
like  to  go  up  there  .  .  .  with  you,"  said  Nami 
with  a  sigh. 

"Oh,  oh!  If  my  little  Nami-san  could  ever 
climb  up  so  high  I'd  have  her  decorated  with 
the  order  of  the  Golden  Hawk,  awarded  for  feats 
of  extraordinary  valor.  Eeally,  never  in  my 

*  'Hitomaro.'  Noted  poet  of  the  VII  and  VIII  centuries,  who  served 
the  emperors  Tito  and  Mommu.  and  died  at  Iwami  around  '729. 
He  is  honored  as  the  god  of  poetry,  and  has  a  temple  at 
Akashi  (Harima.) 

[9] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

life  have  I  seen  so  rocky  and  steep  an  ascent! 
There  are  at  least  ten  chains  for  you  to  get  hold 
of  to  help  you  climb.  That 's  not  difficult  for  me, 
for  at  the  naval  school  at  Etajima  I  learned 
how  to  climb  up  the  smooth  masts  of  the  war- 
ships and  to  hang  from  the  rigging  ....  but 
I  'm  sure  that  your  little  feet  have  never  touched 
as  much  as  the  even  ground  of  Tokyo." 

"Takeo!"  interrupted  Nami,  smiling,  while 
her  face  flushed  a  deep  red,  "you  forget  the 
lessons  in  gymnastics  that  I  had  at  school. ' ' 

"Oh,  the  gymnastics  lessons  at  a  girls'  school 
are  hardly  to  be  reckoned,  especially  such  as 
are  given  at  an  aristocratic  institution  like  the 
Peeress !  I  remember  having  visited  the  place, 
where  I  saw  a  large  group  of  girls  going 
through  a  number  of  exercises,  all  in  time  with 
one  another,  a  fan  in  their  hands,  while  other 
girls,  to  the  accompaniment  of  a  piano,  were 
singing  the  national  hymn.  At  first  I  thought 
it  was  a  figured  dance,  but  I  learned  afterwards 
that  you  called  that  game  gymnastics."  Takeo 
smiled. 

"You  shouldn't  speak  like  that,"  implored 
Nami,  who  was  becoming  embarrassed. 

"Allow  me  to  finish  ...  I  saw  there,  aside  of 
Yamaki's  daughter,  a  most  beautiful  girl  who 

[10] 


Btill  wore  her  hair  in  long,  loose  locks  over  her 
shoulders ;  do  you  know  who  that  girl  was  !  She 
had  on  a  plum-colored  gown  .  .  .  and  she  was 
dancing,  dancing  away  without  deigning  a  sin- 
gle glance  at  the  unknown  visitor.  I  'm  positive 
that  she  was  my  sweet  little  Nami-san!  .  .  . 
What?  Don't  you  like  what  I'm  saying,  even 
now!" 

"But,  Takeo,  you're  saying  such  things.  .  .  . 
Do  you  know  Yamaki's  daughter  very  well? " 

"Some  time  ago  my  father  did  her  father  a 
favor,  and  he  continues  to  come  to  our  house.  .  . 
You  Ve  become  silent  again,  Nami.  What  is  the 
matter!" 

"But  you're  speaking,  aren't  you!"  answered 
Nami,  smiling. 

"There,  there.  Husband  and  wife  must  never 
quarrel,"  observed  Iku  with  a  laugh.  "I'll 
have  some  tea  ready  in  a  moment  and  let  peace 
be  declared!" 


[11] 


CHAPTER  II 

Nami  Kataoka 

THE  young  man  to  whom  we  were  intro- 
duced in  the  preceding  chapter  is  the 
Baron  Takeo  Kawashima;  the  lady  is 
Nami  Kataoka,  first-born  daughter  of  Viscount 
Ki  Kataoka,  the  renowned  general.  Baron 
Kawashima,  a  naval  officer,  enjoying  a  brief 
furlough,  has  come  to  Ikao  with  his  wife  and 
her  servant,  good  old  Iku,  formerly  her  nurse. 
Nami's  mother  had  died  when  the  little  girl 
was  only  eight  years  old,  and  now  she  could 
recall  but  dimly  the  features  of  the  dear  de- 
parted; but  fresh  indeed  was  the  recollection 
of  her  caresses  and  of  the  words  she  had  spoken 
from  her  death-bed  to  the  little  child,  holding 
the  little  trembling  hand  in  her  own  cold  clasp. 
"My  little  darling,  your  mamma  is  now  going 
away  to  a  far,  far  country.  You  must  promise 
me  that  you  will  be  good,  and  that  you  will  love 
your  papa  and  little  Ko-chan  ever  so  much. ..." 
And  fresh,  too,  was  the  memory  of  the  mother's 
tears  that  had  bathed  her  childish  cheeks,  while 

[12] 


NAMI  KATAOKA 

the  voice  of  the  dying  woman,  now  very  weak, 
murmured,  "Will  you  think  of  me  sometimes, 
Nami,  when  I  am  no  longer  here?  Oh!  Tell 
me  that  you  will  remember  me  forever?"  .  .  . 
And  her  mother's  hand,  almost  rigid,  caressed 
with  a  soft,  gentle  motion  the  curly  little  head 
that  bowed  pensively  before  her.  .  .  .  Then  the 
slow  caress  was  brusquely  interrupted. 

From  that  time  on  not  a  day  had  passed  with- 
out Nami's  thoughts  turning,  for  a  few  mo- 
ments at  least,  to  the  sad  scene. 

Twelve  months  after  the  day  of  the  death 
there  had  arrived  a  step-mother,  and  what  a 
change  came  over  everything!  Nami's  mother 
had  belonged  to  a  highly  esteemed  family  of 
the  nobility;  her  slightest  actions  revealed  dig- 
nity and  gentility,  and  her  servants  affirmed 
that  she  was  the  best  of  mistresses  and  the  most 
affectionate  of  mothers.  Nami's  step-mother 
also  came  of  illustrious  family  and  to  finish  her 
education  she  had  been  sent  to  England,  whence 
she  had  returned  filled  with  such  an  ardor  for 
reform  that  her  first  concern,  after  entering  the 
new  household,  was  to  change  or  abolish  every- 
thing that  recalled  to  Nami  her  late  beloved 
mother.  Before  Nami's  father  she  insisted  upon 
expressing  most  decided  opinions,  upon  matters 

[13] 


THE   HEART   OP   NAMI-SAN 

of  the  utmost  triviality  as  well  as  those  of  chief 
importance,  and  he  would  reply,  in  tones  of 
mingled  seriousness  and  irony,  "Very  well, 
very  well,  do  as  you  please  ....  you  know  better 
than  I  .  ..."  One  day,  however,  drinking  his 
sake  together  with  his  favorite  orderly-officer, 
he  said,  pointing  to  his  wife,  "Namba,  I  advise 
you  never  to  marry  an  educated  woman.  If 
you  do,  in  a  short  time  you'll  be  made  to  feel 
that  you're  ridiculously  ignorant."  At  that 
very  moment  Namba  was  at  a  loss  for  reply, 
and  he  hid  his  confusion  by  playing  with  his 
glass,  without  winking  an  eye-lash.  But  he  took 
the  advice  so  much  to  heart  that  later  he  told 
his  wife  not  to  let  their  children  go  beyond  the 
public  schools. 

Nami  was  of  noble  character  and  of  keen  in- 
telligence. She  was  the  favorite  child  of  her 
father  and  she  was  always  the  last  to  whom  he 
would  say  good-bye  as  she  held  out  his  hat  for 
him,  smiling  in  the  arms  of  the  nurse  who  would 
carry  her  to  the  end  of  the  porch.  The 
heart  of  a  child  is  like  a  clod  of  earth  in  the 
springtime:  even  if  it  is  trod  upon  or  covered 
by  a  late  snowfall,  scarcely  does  the  snow  melt 
or  the  oppressor's  foot  pass  on,  when  it  begins 
to  grow  and  flourish.  Nami's  grief  at  the  death 

[14] 


NAMI  KATAOKA 

of  her  mother  was  rather  deep  for  a  child  of 
eight,  but  no  one  doubted  that  the  little  bud 
would  open  and  wax  to  full  bloom  as  soon  as 
the  kind,  life-giving  rays  of  a  warm  sun  should 
shine  down  upon  it. 

When  Nami  looked  upon  her  step-mother  for 
the  first  time  she  felt  greatly  intimidated  be- 
fore that  woman,  dressed  in  the  European 
fashion,  exhaling  a  strange  perfume,  and  with 
a  very  wide  mouth  and  excessively  slanting 
eyes.  Nevertheless,  a  little  later  the  heart  of 
the  child  would  have  been  an  easy  conquest  if 
the  step-mother  had  known  how  to  understand 
it,  and  had  conquered  her  feeling  of  mistrust 
before  the  innocent  little  girl.  But  that  woman, 
lacking  all  delicacy,  egotistic,  pedantic,  and 
with  manners  hardly  engaging,  could  not  under- 
stand the  simple,  transparent  soul  of  an  eight- 
year-old  child,  and  she  acted  toward  her  just 
as  she  would  toward  a  grown-up  girl.  So  that 
the  little  orphan  was  abandoned  much  to  her- 
self and  grew  up  with  the  thought  that  the 
world  is  sad  and  cold.  . . .  Nami  had  a  mother  . . . 
and  she  could  not  love  her;  she  had  a  little 
sister  .  .  .  and  felt  that  she  did  not  love  her, 
either ;  Nami  had  a  father  it  is  true,  and  a  most 
affectionate  governess,  old  Iku;  she  had  an 

[15] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

aunt,  too,  the  sister  of  her  real  mother.  But, 
however  great  was  the  affection  of  the  little 
child  for  these  two  women,  it  could  not  find  free 
expansion,  because  the  aunt  lived  far  away  and 
good  Iku  was  after  all  a  mere  servant.  More- 
over, in  regard  to  Iku  the  step-mother  exercised 
the  most  careful  surveillance,  in  order  to  re- 
press any  display  of  kindness  or  favoritism 
toward  little  Nami. 

There  remained  her  father  ...  he,  indeed,  was 
all  tenderness.  But  he,  too,  was  held  in  sub- 
jection by  the  eagle  eye  of  the  mistress  of  the 
house,  and  at  times,  although  much  against  his 
will,  he  had  to  side  with  her  in  rebuking  the 
child.  .  .  It  is  true  that  after  such  episodes  he 
would  dry  her  tears,  secretly,  with  the  tenderest 
caresses  and  the  warmest  words  of  paternal 
love.  This  struggle  did  not  escape  the  sensi- 
tiveness and  the  intelligence  of  the  little  girl, 
and  in  her  soul  it  gave  rise  to  such  a  great  feel- 
ing of  love  and  gratitude  toward  her  father  that 
she  would  readily  have  faced  any  torture  with 
the  utmost  courage  in  order  to  spare  him  any 
pain.  The  tokens  of  this  deep  affection  for  her 
father  met  with  glances,  and  at  times,  words  of 
disapprobation  from  the  step-mother,  who 
never  brooked  any  intrusion  in  her  domains. 

[16] 


KAMI  KATAOKA 

If  the  little  girl,  wounded,  took  refuge  in  a 
speechless,  grieving  passivity,  she  would  be 
harshly  reproved  for  her  contrary  obstinacy. 
Sometimes,  as  a  result  of  some  trifling  offence, 
the  step-mother  would  pour  down  upon  the  ter- 
rified child  an  avalanche  of  vulgar  phrases 
gleaned  from  the  expressive  dialect  of  Chushu, 
directed  with  a  native  rapidity  and  volubility 
united  to  a  logic  imported  from  across  the 
ocean;  these  words  insulted  Nami  and  often 
assailed  the  sacred  memory  of  her  mother.  .  .  . 
Then  the  little  heart  would  beat  wildly, — her 
whole  little  body  would  quiver  with  rebellion, 
and  there  would  rise  to  her  lips  words  of  hatred 
and  scorn  which  she  repressed  with  difficulty, 
restrained  by  the  thought  of  her  father  .  .  .  but 
the  repressed  outburst  left  in  her  soul  a  feeling 
of  deep  misery. 

At  other  times,  suffering  under  an  unjust 
accusation,  the  child  took  refuge  in  her  little 
hiding-place  behind  a  curtain,  and  there  she 
wept  long  and  bitterly.  .  . .  Did  she  really  have 
a  father?  Yes,  a  father  who  loved  her  with  all 
his  heart,  but  at  a  tender  age  in  which  one's 
house  is  one's  whole  world  an  affectionate 
mother  means  more  than  five  fathers.  Under 
the  tyranny  of  a  step-mother  such  as  Nami's 

[17] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

even  the  gentlest  character  would  have  become 
embittered  in  less  than  ten  years,  and  the  most 
flourishing  youth  would  have  faded. 

Viscount  Kataoka  used  to  say,  "There's 
nothing  childish  about  Nami.  .  .  .  She  is  so 
moody  and  contrary!" 

There  is  no  difference  between  the  flowers 
that  grow  in  a  vase  of  humble  terra-cotta  and 
those  placed  in  a  jar  of  precious  porcelain  .  .  . 
all  need  alike  the  kisses  of  the  sun.  But  Nami 
was  a  delicate  floweret  destined  always  to  lan- 
guish in  the  shade. 

When  Nami  was  betrothed  to  Takeo,  and 
afterwards  when  the  marriage  ceremony  had 
come  to  an  end,  a  sigh  escaped  her  lips, — the 
first  sigh  of  true  happiness.  And  her  father, 
and  her  step-mother,  her  aunt,  and  Iku,  too, 
all  breathed  more  freely  . . .  each  for  a  different 
reason. 

The  old  governess  often  complained  against 
her  new  mistress  that,  knowing  well  how  to 
choose  the  most  elegant  and  costly  clothes  for 
herself,  she  had  furnished  Nami  with  a  modest 
outfit,  in  bad  taste,  and  she  wept  to  see  with 
what  parsimony  the  bride's  dowry  had  been 
provided.  Oh!  The  happy  days  when  the 

[18] 


NAMI  KATAOKA 

house  had  been  guided  by  a  kind  and  provident 
hand! 

Nami  left  the  paternal  roof  with  joy.  .  .  . 
The  thought  of  the  new,  free,  happy  life  that 
awaited  her  overcame  even  the  sadness  of 
separation  from  the  father  she  loved. 


[19] 


CHAPTER  III 

Fern  Gathering 

THE  road  that  leads  from  Ikao  to  Mizu- 
sawa  (called  also  Mizusawa-Kwannon 
because  of  the  Buddhistic  worship  of  the 
saint  Kwannon)  is  about  five  kilometers  long 
and  winds  upwards  over  a  bare  hill;  only  once 
does  the  landscape  change,  where  the  path  leads 
through  a  narrow  gorge,  flanked  by  rocks, 
quickly  to  emerge  again  and  resume  the  slow 
winding  of  its  monotonous  curves.  The  road 
is  so  well  trodden  and  the  way  is  so  easy  that  a 
blind  man  could  make  the  journey  without  a 
guide.  As  you  proceed  higher  and  higher  your 
eye  dominates  the  vast  expanse  of  the  valley  of 
Jomo  and  from  the  summit  of  the  hill  a  single 
glance  embraces  the  whole  view.  To  the  right 
and  the  left  of  the  road  extend  grassy  fields. 
In  the  springtime,  when  the  jonquils,  fertilized 
by  the  ashes  of  the  burned  weeds,  rise  vigor- 
ously from  the  dark  earth,  and  the  clover  and 
crow-foot  and  bell-flower  grow  thickly  side 
by  side,  the  fields  seem  to  form  an  immense 

[20] 


FERN   GATHERING 

carpet  with  a  background  of  velvety  green, 
strewn  with  multicolored  arabesques  and  a 
surface  of  thin  leaves  that  have  fallen  from  the 
downy,  odorous,  eatable  ferns.  A  lover  of 
natural  beauty  would  find  that  a  spring  day 
spent  among  these  grasses  and  flowers  fled  too 
soon,  like  a  dream! 

On  a  sunny  afternoon  Takeo  and  Nami,  to- 
gether with  Iku  and  a  servant  girl,  were  gather- 
ing the  tender  ferns  in  these  meadows.  When 
they  had  grown  tired  from  their  long,  aimless 
wandering,  the  girl  spread  the  mat  in  a  warm, 
shady  spot,  ideally  adapted  to  the  purpose. 
Takeo  stretched  himself  out  without  ceremony ; 
Nami  took  off  her  sandals,  and  brushing  away 
with  a  little  rose-colored  handkerchief  the  dust 
that  had  gathered  on  her  kimono,  she  sat  down 
gracefully  beside  him,  exclaiming,  "What  a  de- 
lightful time !  I  could  wish  for  no  better ! ' ' 

* '  Oh,  madame,  how  beautiful  you  look  today ! 
It  has  been  a  long  time  since  I've  heard  your 
song  so  sweet  and  merry!"  said  Iku,  caressing 
her  beloved  mistress  with  a  look  that  shone  with 
devoted  admiration. 

"I've  sung  so  much  that  my  throat  is  dry!" 
replied  Nami,  with  a  soft  laugh. 

"I'm  sorry  I  didn't  bring  along  any  tea," 

[21] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

apologized  the  servant  girl,  offering  the  bag 
filled  with  oranges,  buns  and  sushi.1 

"The  oranges  will  be  enough,"  said  Takeo, 
peeling  the  brightest  of  them.  "Nami-san,  I'll 
wager  you  couldn  't  open  an  orange  as  skillfully 
as  this!" 

"Do  you  think  you're  the  only  one  that  knows 
how?" 

* '  Sir,  among  the  ferns  that  you  gathered  there 
are  a  great  deal  of  weeds,"  observed  the 
servant  girl  timidly. 

"  Hush  . .  Hush  .  . !  Don't  try  to  excuse  your 
own  fault  by  blaming  the  others,"  replied  the 
baron  jestingly.  "What  wonderful  weather! 
I  feel  new  life  in  my  veins ! ' ' 

"Just  look  at  the  sky.  What  a  miraculous 
color !  A  piece  of  that  blue  mantle  would  make 
a  stunning  dress  for  a  woman !"  added  Nami. 

"And  perhaps  it  would  be  even  better  for  a 
sailor 's  uniform ! ' ' 

"Just  smell  the  perfumes  that  all  the  flowers 
about  us  are  exhaling!  Listen,  Takeo  ...  a  lark 
is  singing  yonder  .  .  .  ." 

"I  feel  completely  refreshed,"  said  the  gov- 
erness. "Matsu,  suppose  we  two  go  back  to 

1  Boiled  rice,   seasoned  with   vinegar,   fish  and  vegetables. 

[22] 


FERN   GATHERING 

fern  gathering?"  Iku  and  the  servant  walked 
off  over  the  soft,  grassy  carpet. 

"I  hope  you'll  be  kind  enough  to  leave  a  few 
ferns  for  those  who  come  after  you,"  shouted 
Takeo  to  the  retreating  women.  Then,  turning 
to  Nami,  ' '  How  strong  and  lively  Iku  still  is ! " 

"That's  so,  Takeo." 

"Are  you  tired,  my  sweet  little  Nami-san?" 

"I'll  not  tire  today — it  seems  that  I  never  felt 
so  strong  or  so  happy." 

"When  I'm  out  on  the  ocean  I  often  see 
wonderful  sights.  But  it  seems  to  me  that  I  Ve 
never  beheld  anything  so  enchanting  as  the 
panorama  that  unfolds  itself  before  this  hill. 
Don 't  you  feel  lighter,  fresher,  here  ?  . . . .  Look 
at  that  valley  shining  in  the  sun,  over  there  at 
the  left.  Can  you  make  out  Shibukawa,  where 
we  stopped  for  lunch  ?  . . . .  And  off  in  this  other 
direction  can  you  see  something  sparkling  here 
and  there  like  a  long,  blue  serpent  ?  That 's  the 
river  Tone.  Do  you  see  it,  Nami?  .  .  .  And 
yonder,  following  the  slope  of  mount  Akagi, 
there  where  it  rises  out  of  the  mist,  is  the  town 
of  Mayebashi,  nestling  in  the  hills." 

"And  that  silver  ribbon  that's  waving  along 
over  there?" 

"That's  still  the  Tone.     It's  impossible  to 

[23] 


THE   HEART   OF    KAMI-SAN 

make  out  anything  beyond  that  point.  We 
should  have  brought  along  a  field-glass, 
shouldn't  we,  Xami-san?  But  perhaps  this 
landscape  that  dissolves  in  the  distance  is  more 
beautiful  as  it  is." 

Xami  placed  her  hand  upon  Takeo's  knee 
and  sighed,  "How  I  should  love  to  remain  here 
forever  with  you ! ' ' 

Two  golden  butterflies  winged  by,  brushing 
Xami's  flowing  sleeve;  then  a  footstep  was 
heard,  muffled  by  the  thick  grass,  and  suddenly 
a  long  shadow  fell  before  the  happy  pair. 

"Takeo-san!" 

"Hello,  Chijiwa-kun!"'  replied  the  Baron 
with  the  happy  familiar  greeting.  * '  What  wind 
has  blown  you  here  !  You  're  the  last  person  I  'd 
expect  to  meet  in  these  parts." 

Chijiwa  was  a  young  man  of  about  twenty- 
six,  in  the  uniform  of  a  lieutenant.  He  was 
very  handsome,  and  his  face  was  not  sun-burnt 
despite  the  nature  of  his  duties.  Yet  there  was 
something  about  him  that  destroyed  the  pleas- 
ing impression  of  his  good  looks Perhaps 

it  was  the  sarcastic  curl  of  his  lips,  or  the  dark 
glance  of  his  deep  black  eyes.  He  was  a  cousin 

'  'Kan.'      Equivalent  to  Mr.,   and   used  more   familiarly   by   men   in- 
stead  of    'San.' 

[24] 


FERN   GATHERING 

to  Takeo,  and  although  his  official  grade  was 
low,  he  was  considered  one  of  the  most  intelli- 
gent officers  of  the  Headquarters  Staff. 

"You're  surprised  to  see  me  here,  aren't 
you!  I  came  to  Takasaki  yesterday  on  busi- 
ness and  spent  the  night  there.  This  morning 
I  went  to  Shibukawa  where  I  learned  that  Tkao 
was  very  near.  I  went  to  the  inn  to  look  for 
you  and  they  told  me  that  you  had  gone  in  this 
direction  to  gather  ferns.  And  here  I  am.  To- 
morrow I  return.  I'm  not  in  the  way,  am  I!" 

"Not  at  all.    Did  you  see  my  mother?" 

"Yes,  yesterday  morning.  She's  well  and  is 
extremely  impatient  for  your  return."  Then, 
with  a  sparkling  glance  at  Nami,  he  added, 
"Your  parents  at  Akasaka  are  also  well" 

Nami's  cheeks  had  colored  from  the  very 
moment  at  which  the  young  man  had  arrived, 
but  at  these  words  they  turned  fiery  red,  and 
she  lowered  her  eyes. 

"Reinforcements  have  arrived!"  cried  Takeo, 
laughing.  "Now  I  fear  no  attack.  Hurrah  for 
the  union  of  the  land  and  naval  forces!  We 
could  put  millions  of  Amazons  to  flight  now! 
And  to  think  that  these  two  women," — pointing 
to  Iku  and  the  servant  girl  who  were  approach- 
ing,— "dared  to  accuse  me  while  I  was  alone  . . . 

[25] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

and  said  that  I  had  picked  weeds  instead  of 
ferns!" 

The  old  woman,  at  sight  of  Chijiwa,  wrinkled 
her  brow,  exclaiming,  "What  a  surprise  to  find 
you  here!" 

It  was  Takeo  who  replied. 

"I  telegraphed  to  him  a  little  while  ago,  ask- 
ing for  reinforcements." 

"The  baron  is  joking.    Or  is  it  so?" 

"He  returns  tomorrow,"  said  Nami,  in  a  low 
voice. 

"I  believe,  Baron,  that  it's  time  to  go  back 
and  prepare  dinner. ' ' 

"You're  right,  Iku.  Please  note  that  Chijiwa 
is  dining  with  us,  and  that  we  must  give  him  a 
fine  reception.  And  for  the  rest,  we  all  have  an 

excellent  appetite How's  this,  Nami-san? 

You,  too,  leaving  us?  Perhaps  you're  aban- 
doning us  for  your  allies  ? Stay,  stay,  we  '11 

concede  you  a  generous  truce. ' ' 

Nami  stopped,  without  replying,  while  Iku 
and  the  girl  walked  off,  carrying  the  bunches  of 
ferns. 

The  three  who  remained  behind  began  to 
pluck  other  plants  and  lingered  about,  wander- 
ing off  toward  Misuzawa-no-Kwannon  before 
descending  the  hill  and  taking  the  road  back. 

[26] 


FERN  GATHERING 

The  sun,  which  was  about  to  set  behind 
mount  Monokoki,  covered  a  broad  expanse  of 
the  heavens  with  its  resplendent  rays.  The 
grasses,  to  the  right  and  left  of  the  path, 
seemed  to  form  two  flaming  hedges;  here  and 
there  a  solitary  pine  stretched  its  long  shadow 
across  the  luminous  slope.  The  hilltops  were 
immersed  in  a  fiery  bath  and  in  the  valley  could 
be  seen  bannerets  of  smoke  curling  up  from  the 
huts,  that  stood  lonely,  or  in  groups,  in  the 
quiet  villages.  A  peasant  was  goading  his 
oxen  toward  the  valley ;  his  loud  shout  and  the 
mooing  of  the  animals  were  the  only  sounds 
that  broke  the  deep  silence,  waking  a  lingering 
echo  in  the  tranquil  atmosphere. 

Takeo  and  Chijiwa  walked  along  side  by  side ; 
Nami  followed  them.  They  descended  the  hill 
slowly,  crossed  the  narrow  valley  and  then 
climbed  upward  again  to  reach  the  path  that 
was  still  illuminated  by  the  last  rays  of  the  sun. 

Suddenly  Takeo  stopped,  exclaiming,  "Ah! 
How  stupid  of  me!  I've  lost  my  cane.  I 
surely  must  have  left  it  where  we  rested  for  a 
few  moments  before  going  down  into  the  valley. 
Wait  here  for  me,  please.  I  '11  run  and  be  back 
directly. ' ' 

[27] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

"Takeo,  please,  let  me  go  along  with  you," 
begged  is!  ami. 

'  *  No,  no,  iny  child !  You  'd  better  wait  for  me. 
I'll  run  both  ways  and  in  two  minutes  I'll  be 
here  again." 

Takeo  prevailed  upon  her  to  remain  and  after 
having  dropped  his  bunch  of  ferns  to  the 
ground  he  ran  off  across  the  hill. 

Takeo 's  figure  receded  and  Nami  remained 
standing  several  paces  away  from  Chijiwa. 
For  a  few  moments  Takeo  could  be  discerned 
in  the  distance,  making  his  way  to  the  top  of 
the  hill,  then  he  disappeared  behind  a  turn  in 
the  road. 

1 1  Nami-ko-san ! ' ' 

Nami,  who  was  gazing  across  the  hills, 
shuddered  upon  hearing  herself  addressed  so 
familiarly. 

"Nami-ko-san,"  repeated  Chijiwa,  coming 
closer  while  Nami  retreated.  She  raised  her 
glance  to  Chijiwa 's  face,  but  lowered  it  at  once 
to  escape  the  wily,  ironic  glitter  of  his  black 
eyes. 

* '  My  congratulations ! '  ' 

Nami  did  not  breathe  and  her  cheeks  turned 
a  deep  red. 

"My  congratulations!     You  must  be  very 

[28] 


FERN  GATHERING 

happy.  .  .  . "  Then,  in  a  voice  that  echoed  with 
mockery,  '  *  But  you  must  know  that  there 's  one 
man  who  can't  be  happy!" 

Nami  maintained  her  silence,  her  gaze  di- 
rected to  the  ground,  digging  the  earth  with  the 
point  of  her  parasol. 

1  *  Nami-ko-san ! ' ' 

Like  a  young  squirrel,  at  bay  before  the 
pursuit  of  a  snake,  she  raised  her  eyes  cour- 
ageously and  met  the  enemy's  insistent  glance 
with  a  look  full  of  dignity  and  strength. 

"Well?" 

"A  baron's  title  ....  lots  of  money.  In- 
deed, not  at  all  bad!  Once  more,  my  sincerest 
congratulations ! ' ' 

"What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this?" 

"It  means  that  to  marry  a  rich  nobleman, 
even  if  he 's  a  fool,  and  to  despise  a  sincere  lover 
because  he's  poor  ....  is  now  the  rule  among 

young  ladies  of  high  society You,  naturally, 

are  an  exception ! ' ' 

Nami's  genteel  face  was  covered  anew  by  a 
deep  red  and  assumed  an  expression  of  disdain, 
while  her  angry  glance  rested  upon  Chijiwa. 

"I  beg  you  to  cease  these  silly  insinuations 
....  or  else  to  repeat  them  before  Takeo  .... 
Coward !  To  write  me  a  letter  such  as  you  had 

[29] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

the  impudence  to  address  to  me,  without  speak- 
ing to  my  father!  I  am  tired  of  this  persecu- 
tion  " 

"What!" 

Chijiwa's  look  became  more  sinister,  he  bit 
his  lips  and  approached  Nami.  Suddenly  there 
was  heard  the  heavy  trot  of  a  horse  and  the 
countryman  who  was  mounted  on  it  shouted  as 
he  sped  by,  "Good  evening!"  He  took  off  his 
hat  and  then  turned  around,  as  he  rode  off  as- 
tonished not  to  know  the  young  couple. 

Chijiwa,  meanwhile,  had  remained  rooted  to 
the  spot,  then  the  rigidity  of  his  features  re- 
laxed somewhat  and  gave  way  to  a  sarcastic 
laugh. 

"Very  well.  Give  it  back  to  me  if  you  don't 
care  to  keep  it." 

"Give  back  what?" 

"What  you  just  mentioned  ....  the  letter 
that  you  hate. ' ' 

"I  no  longer  have  it." 

"Where  is  it,  then?" 

"I  threw  it  into  the  fire  ....  the  nasty 
sheet  .  .  .  ." 

' '  Are  you  sure  ?    Nobody  read  it  ?  " 

"Nobody,  of  course." 

"Really?" 

[30] 


FERN  GATHERING 

"Enough.  Don't  say  any  more  to  me 

I'll  speak  nothing  further." 

Nami's  angry  glare  met  the  evil,  impudent 
gleam  of  Chijiwa's  black  eyes;  a  shudder  rip- 
pled over  her  body  and  she  turned  away  her 
glance.  At  this  juncture  Takeo  came  running 
down  the  hill,  which  was  still  illuminated  by  the 
reflection  of  the  fiery  western  sky.  Nami 
breathed  a  sigh  of  relief. 

' '  Nami-ko-san ! ' ' 

Chijiwa  tried  determinately  to  fix  his  glance 
upon  Nami,  but  her  eyes  evaded  his  look  with 
equal  determination. 

"Nami-ko-san,  one  word  more  and  I'll  leave 
you.  Keep  silent  ....  don't  reveal  my  secret 
to  Takeo  or  to  your  parents.  If  you  do,  you'll 
have  reason  to  repent!"  As  he  ended  these 
cowardly  words  Chijiwa  walked  away  several 
steps  and  came  to  a  stop,  plucking  several  wild 
flowers. 

Takeo  came  running  up  to  them.  *  *  Did  I  keep 
you  waiting  long?"  he  asked,  panting  heavily. 
"I'm  all  out  of  breath  ....  I  ran  the  whole 
way  ....  I  found  my  cane  just  where  I  thought 
I  left  it  ....  Nami-san,  what's  the  matter? 
Don't  you  feel  well?" 

Chijiwa,  placing  the  flowers  he  had  plucked 

[31] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

into  his  buttonhole,  answered,  "So  much  time 
passed  since  you  left  us  that  she  thought  you 
had  lost  your  way  back. ' '  And  he  laughed. 

Takeo  joined  in  the  laugh,  exclaiming,  "Well, 
well! ....  And  now,  homeward  bound!" 

The  three  shadows,  now  silent,  walked  slowly 
side  by  side  along  the  road  to  Ikao. 


[32] 


CHAPTER  IV 

The  Yamaki  Household 

IN   the  train   that  left   Takasaki   at  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  a  traveler,  alone 
in  a  compartment  of  the  second  class,  is 
stretched  out  upon  his  seat,  smoking  and  read- 
ing a  paper.    It  is  Yasuhiko  Chijiwa. 

Suddenly,  with  a  gesture  of  impatience,  he 
casts  aside  the  newspaper.  "Confound  it!" 
Angrily  he  tramples  upon  the  cigarette  that  has 
fallen  from  his  lips,  stops  a  moment  to  look 
through  the  window,  as  if  he  hesitates  to  be 
thrust  upon  his  own  thoughts  ....  paces  up  and 
down  the  compartment  mechanically,  and  at 
last  returns  to  his  original  position,  this  time 
crossing  his  arms  on  his  chest  and  closing  his 
eyes.  His  black  eyebrows  contract  with  the  in- 
tensity of  his  thoughts  into  a  straight  line. 

Yasuhiko  Chijiwa  was  an  orphan.  His  father, 
a  Samurai1  of  the  illustrious  Kagoshima  clan 
(who  received  their  title  from  the  principality 

1  Samurai.'      Up   to    the    War   of    Restoration    (1868).    a   member   of 
the  military  class. 

[33] 


THE   HEART   OF    NAMI-SAN 

of  the  same  name,  now  a  province  in  the  south- 
west of  Japan)  had  died  fighting  in  the  great 
War  of  Restoration.  His  mother,  the  vic- 
tim of  an  epidemic,  had  left  Chijiwa  alone 
when  he  was  only  six.  He  was  taken  and  edu- 
cated by  a  maternal  aunt,  the  mother  of  Takeo 
Kawashima.  She  was  kind  to  the  little  orphan, 
but  his  uncle  was  not  so  well  disposed  toward 
him.  On  holidays  Takeo  would  wear  a  rich  suit 
of  silk  and  would  occupy  a  prominent  post, 
while  Yasuhiko,  dressed  more  modestly,  would 
attract  no  attention  and  be  abandoned  to  him- 
self. So  that  very  soon  he  was  forced  to  realize 
the  sadness  of  his  condition.  Takeo  had  parents, 
wealth  and  high  official  standing;  he,  on  the 
contrary,  was  alone  and  would  have  to  provide 
for  his  future  with  his  brawn  or  brain.  And 
in  his  heart  envy  of  Takeo  and  hatred  toward 
Takeo 's  father  grew  apace. 

Chijiwa  soon  learned  that  there  were  two 
ways  of  achieving  success  in  the  world:  one 
wide  and  one  narrow,  and  early  he  decided  to 
follow  the  easiest  way.  Thus,  when  his  uncle 
sent  him  to  military  school  he  looked  with  a 
feeling  of  pity  upon  those  of  his  companions 
who  studied  and  worked  hard  to  make  a  good 
showing  at  the  examinations  and  in  the  con- 


THE  YAMAKI  HOUSEHOLD 

tests,  and  he  preferred  to  employ  his  time  cul- 
tivating the  friendship  of  the  influential  people 
of  his  province,  cunningly  choosing  those  who 
could  be  of  use  to  him  in  the  future.  This  plan 
revealed  its  efficacy  from  the  very  beginning  of 
his  career,  for,  while  his  schoolmates  were 
slowly  advancing  from  one  grade  to  another  he 
was  soon  called  to  a  place  upon  the  Headquar- 
ters Staff,  and  from  this  enviable  position, 
which  uncovered  to  him  many  of  the  secrets  of 
the  military  organization,  he  looked  compla- 
cently down  upon  his  fellow  students  as  they 
led  the  regiments  of  infantry  or  the  laborious 
maneuvers  of  the  troops. 

His  most  important  problem  was  that  of  mar- 
riage ;  he  was  certain  that  only  through  alliance 
with  some  noted  family  could  success  be  won, 
just  as  through  the  joining  of  their  limbs 
monkeys  succeed  in  reaching  the  water  that 
quenches  their  thirst.  Chijiwa  then  began  to 
explore  the  field  of  battle  and  discovered  that 
the  daughter  of  marquis  so-and-so  was  going 
to  marry  baron  X,  that  the  first-born  daughter 
of  count  Y  was  scheduled  to  marry  a  certain 
other  high  official,  and  that  this  other  million- 
airess was  to  become  princess  Z.  His  hunter's 
eye  finally  singled  out  the  house  of  General 

[35] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Kataoka  who,  though  retired,  was  still  held  in 
universal  esteem  and  was  a  welcome  personage 
at  the  Court.  Chijiwa  at  once  realized  the  im- 
portance of  that  veiled  but  powerful  influence, 
and  he  employed  the  slightest  pretext  to  visit 
the  Kataoka  home  and  especially  to  make  him- 
self agreeable  to  the  elder  daughter,  Nami, 
whom  he  had  selected  because  she  seemed  to  be 
the  general's  favorite.  Her  step-mother,  in- 
deed, would  gladly  have  embraced  the  first  op- 
portunity to  marry  her  off  and  thus  remove  her 
from  the  paternal  roof.  Nor  did  his  choice  lack 
a  certain  sentiment  of  sympathy  for  that  girl 
of  noble  and  generous  impulses,  of  gracious  and 
individual  countenance. 

He  waited  for  a  propitious  occasion,  seeking 
in  the  meantime  to  discover  what  sort  of  im- 
pression he  had  made  upon  the  general,  who 
was  hardly  given  to  revealing  his  thoughts. 
Very  soon,  on  the  other  hand,  he  had  learned 
that  he  had  won  the  favor  of  Madame  Kataoka. 
So,  too,  he  had  become  quite  friendly  with  fif- 
teen-year old  Koma,  developed  beyond  her 
years.  There  were  also  in  the  family  two  chil- 
dren born  of  the  second  wife,  but  Chijiwa 
naturally  paid  little  attention  to  these.  There 
was  one  other  person:  old  Iku,  the  only  one 

[36] 


THE  YAMAKI  HOUSEHOLD 

of  the  former  servants  to  have  remained  by 
express  will  of  the  general,  after  the  death  of 
Nami's  mother.  The  good  old  woman  was  al- 
ways at  Kami's  side,  and  Chijiwa  had  not  been 
able  to  win  her  sympathies.  This  disconcerted 
him  somewhat,  but  he  was  cheered  by  the 
thought  that  he  would  turn  all  his  arts  directly 
to  the  conquest  of  the  girl  herself.  For  a  year 
he  watched  for  a  favorable  opportunity,  and 
then,  in  a  moment  of  impatience,  he  had  written 
a  declaration  of  love,  had  sealed  it  in  a  double 
envelope,  had  had  a  woman  friend  write  the 
address  for  him  and  had  sent  it  by  mail  to  Nami. 

On  that  same  day  he  had  been  obliged  to  leave 
for  service  and  upon  his  return,  after  three 
months,  he  learned  with  intense  stupefaction 
that  through  the  offices  of  Viscount  Kato,  royal 
minister,  Nami  had  been  married  to  her  cousin, 
Takeo  Kawashima.  Upon  hearing  this  unex- 
pected news  Chijiwa  was  seized  with  rage  and 
tore  to  tatters  a  beautiful  crape  veil  that  he  had 
brought  as  a  gift  for  Nami  in  the  hope  that  its 
festive  color  would  be  a  good  augury  for  his 
success. 

But  Chijiwa  was  not  the  man  to  allow  him- 
self to  be  discouraged  by  a  delusion  of  love, 
and  indeed,  at  once  he  recovered  his  innate  dar- 

[37] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

ing.  One  fear  remained, — that  Nami,  revealing 
to  her  father  or  her  husband  the  secret  of  his 
love  letter,  should  do  him  irreparable  harm  by 
depriving  him  of  a  powerful  friend.  And  be- 
cause he  was  very  prudent  he  thought  it  useful 
to  investigate  Nami's  feelings  toward  him; 
this  is  why,  during  his  journey  to  Takasaki,  he 
made  the  trip  to  Ikao  to  find  the  young  couple 
there  and  cunningly  survey  the  situation.  Now, 
as  he  returned,  a  single  feeling  dominated  his 
soul  to  the  exclusion  of  every  other:  this  was 
intense  hatred  of  Takeo. 

Suddenly  it  seemed  to  Chijiwa  that  a  voice 
nearby  was  crying  "Takeo!  Takeo!"  and  at 
the  sound  of  these  syllables  he  awoke  with  a 
start  from  his  meditations.  He  went  to  the 
window  and  noticed  that  the  train  had  stopped 
at  a  station,  while  the  guard  was  shouting 
"Ageo!  Ageo!" 

"Damn  him!"  he  cursed,  going  back  to  his 
place  with  a  snarl  of  scorn  at  his  childish  illu- 
sion, tossing  his  shoulders  as  if  to  chase  away 
an  unwelcome  thought. 

Then  his  countenance  reassumed  its  original 
expression  of  hatred,  while  he  bit  his  lips  madly. 

The  train,  after  having  left  Ageo  and  passed 

138] 


THE  YAMAKI  HOUSEHOLD 

several  other  stations  with  the  rapidity  of  the 
wind,  arrived  at  Oji.  Several  persons  entered 
the  compartment  in  which  Chijiwa  sat,  among 
them  a  man  in  the  fifties,  with  a  swarthy  face, 
slanting  eyes  that  looked  downwards  and  a  red 
mole  as  large  as  a  pea  under  his  left  eye.  He 
wore  a  costly  garment;  from  his  white  crape 
belt  hung  a  heavy  gold  chain  and  upon  his 
left  hand  sparkled  a  huge  diamond  set  in  a  mas- 
sive circle  of  gold. 

As  the  traveler  sought  his  seat  his  gaze  en- 
countered that  of  Chijiwa. 

"Oh,  Chijiwa-san! ....  Well,  how  do  you  do! 
Where  are  you  coming  from  ? ' ' 

As  he  spoke,  the  man  with  the  mole  sat  down 
beside  the  officer. 

"I'm  coming  from  Takasaki." 

' '  From  Takasaki  ? ' '  The  man  looked  Chijiwa 
full  in  the  face  with  a  long,  inquiring  glance, 
and  then  added,  in  a  low  voice,  "Are  you  in  a 
great  hurry  f  If  not,  I  '11  invite  you  to  have  sup- 
per with  me." 

Chijiwa  accepted  with  a  simple  nod. 

Near  the  bridge  leading  to  the  little  village 
of  Hashiba,  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  there 
was  a  house  over  whose  entrance  the  inscrip- 
tion "Villa  Yamaki"  served  to  dispel  the  sup- 

[39] 


THE    HEART    OP    NAMI-SAN 

position  that  the  structure  was  a  modern  nest 
of  pleasure. 

In  a  room  of  the  second  story  whose  thin 
paper  windows  seemed  to  have  been  made  to 
reflect  the  profile  of  the  fantastic  shimada 
waving  to  the  cadence  of  wanton  music,  and 
whose  mats  seemed  to  ask  for  a  bright  red 
carpet  to  receive  the  playing  cards,  there  sat 
side  by  side  at  the  table  covered  with  a  con- 
fusion of  dishes  and  cups,  Chijiwa  and  the  man 
with  the  mole,  Hyozo  Yamaki.  The  pale  light 
from  a  lamp  that  was  covered  with  a  colored 
shade  cast  sufficient  light  over  the  room,  per- 
haps better  than  the  blinding  brilliance  of 
electricity. 

No  servant  girl  had  been  assigned  to  serve 
the  meal,  and  not  without  reason.  Before  the 
man  with  the  mole  lay  a  note-book,  upon  which 
a  pencil  placed  between  the  leaves  kept  the 
pages  open  at  a  place  where  could  be  noticed 
a  list  of  names,  titles,  the  addresses  of  many 
persons,  each  marked  with  a  conventional 
symbol,  such  as  a  circle,  a  square,  a  triangle, 
number,  letter  and  the  like ;  several  names  had 
been  crossed  out  and  replaced  by  various 
others. 

"Then  we  understand  each  other,  Chijiwa. 

[40] 


THE  YAMAKI  HOUSEHOLD 

But  I  want  you  to  let  me  know  the  moment 
everything  is  in  readiness.  .  .  .  Are  you  sure 
of  success?" 

"  Almost  certain.  The  affair  is  already  in 
the  hands  of  the  minister.  But,  since  rivals 
are  pressing  us,  it  '11  be  better  to  be  lavish  with 
money."  Then,  placing  his  index  finger  upon 
one  of  the  names  in  the  note-book,  he  added, 
"This  fellow  is  a  scoundrel.  You'll  do  well  to 
shut  him  up." 

"And  what  do  you  think  of  this  one?" 

"He  isn't  worth  a  straw.  I  don't  know  him 
very  well,  but  they  say  that  he's  very  scrup- 
ulous. I  believe  it  will  be  better  to  get  the  lay 
of  the  land  directly,  and  if  we  find  resistance 
we'll  have  to  proceed  cautiously." 

"It's  true  that  while  you  may  find  many 
persons  in  the  army  with  whom  it's  easy  to 
come  to  an  understanding  there  are  some  of 
whom  you  may  say  the  very  opposite.  Do  you 
recall  how  last  year  we  succeeded  in  supplying 
a  regiment  with  the  uniforms  they  needed,  and 
how  smoothly  everything  was  going,  when  a 
colonel  came  along,  I  can 't  remember  his  name, 
—  that  fellow  with  the  red  mustache.  .  .  .  Well, 
he  was  more  than  a  trifle  troublesome,  pre- 
tending to  discover  defects  in  our  goods.  And 

[41] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

when  our  agent  sent  him  the  customary  box 
containing  the  traditional  sweets  and  cakes  he 
proudly  declared  that  he  wasn't  the  man  to 
let  himself  be  used  as  a  tool  and  that  it  was 
unworthy  of  a  soldier  to  receive  gifts.  .  .  . 
Imagine  the  scene  when  in  his  anger  he  threw 
the  box  at  the  commissioner's  feet  and  out  of 
it  came  rolling  over  the  floor  the  silver  coins 
hidden  under  a  layer  of  golden  cake!  Just 
picture  that  shining  mixture  of  sparkling  coins 
and  red-orange  pastry!  We  were  certainly 
caught  in  a  trap!  That  fine  fellow  fell  into  a 
fury  and  swore  that  he  had  never  in  his  life 
seen  so  infamous  an  affair.  ...  It  was  no  easy 
task  to  persuade  him  not  to  expose  us!  As  a 
result  we  afterwards  went  through  some  ter- 
rible moments.  .  .  .  And  while  we're  on  the 
subject  of  this  kind  of  people,  let's  not  forget 
Takeo.  ...  It's  absolutely  impossible  to  ar- 
rive at  an  understanding  with  him.  Why,  only 
recently.  ..." 

"You're  right But  Takeo  inherited 

enough  money  to  permit  him  to  indulge  all  his 
desires,  and  under  such  circumstances  it's  not 
so  hard  to  hold  yourself  as  proud  and  as 
straight  as  a  bar  of  steel !  As  for  myself,  poor 
and  without  prospects  of  a  fortune.  ..." 

[42] 


THE   YAMAKI  HOUSEHOLD 

"Oh!  I  quite  forgot,"  interrupted  the  man 
with  the  mole,  looking  fixedly  at  Chijiwa.  Then 
he  took  out  and  counted  rapidly  ten  five-yen 
banknotes.  "Take  this  for  the  present,  merely 
as  your  traveling  expenses.  The  real  pay  will 
come  in  due  time." 

"Thanks.  I  take  it  without  ceremony." 
And  he  placed  the  money  at  once  in  his  pocket. 
"But,  —  Yamaki-san.  ..." 

"Well!" 

"The  proverb  says,  'He  who  does  not  sow, 
neither  shall  he  reap.' 

Yamaki  smiled  broadly,  and  playfully  tap- 
ping Chijiwa 's  cheek  he  murmured,  "You're 
an  intelligent  fellow!  Too  bad  you're  not  the 
Chief  of  Commissariat." 

Chijiwa 's  lips  parted  in  an  ironic  smile. 

"Yamaki,  you  know  that  the  shortest  dagger 
in  the  hands  of  our  hero  Kiyomasa,"  was  more 
efficacious  than  any  three-foot  three-inch  sword 
in  the  hands  of  a  novice ! ' ' 

"That's  so.  I  advise  you,  nevertheless,  to 
proceed  with  caution  in  this  sort  of  specula- 
tion. A  beginner  can  easily  meet  his  ruin." 

"I  know,  I  know.  .  .  .     Only  those  succeed 

*  'Kiyomasa'    (1562-1611).     Celebrated  soldier  who  took  part  in  the 
expedition   against   Korea. 

[43] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

who  have  plenty  of  money  to  pass  out  to  others. 
....  Well,  I  must  be  going  now.  I'll  return  in 
a  few  days  as  soon  as  I've  picked  up  any  in- 
formation. .  .  .  No,  don't  call  a  carriage.  I'd 
rather  take  a  kuruma." 

"As  you  wish.  I  beg  you  to  excuse  my  wife. 
She  was  unable  to  join  us  because  she  is  needed 
by  my  daughter. ' ' 

"Is  0-Toyo-san  ill?    I'm  sorry." 

"Yes,  she's  been  ill  for  a  month.  My  wife 
wanted  to  take  her  to  the  country.  Take  my 
advice,  Chijiwa.  Don't  be  in  a  hurry  to  marry 
and  raise  a  family.  There's  nothing  better 
than  a  bachelor's  life  if  you  want  to  make 
money ! ' ' 

Chijiwa  took  his  leave  at  the  threshold  of  the 
porch  and  walked  off  rapidly,  while  Yamaki 
went  back  to  the  room  he  had  just  left.  The 
door  opened  noiselessly  and  a  woman  came  in, 
taking  a  seat  beside  Yamaki.  She  was  no 
longer  very  young  but  the  complexion  of  her 
face  seemed  rather  fresh  under  her  thin  hair; 
two  of  her  teeth  projected  slightly  from  her 
mouth. 

"Has  Chijiwa-san  left?" 

"Just  now.    How  is  0-Toyo?" 

The  woman  answered  in  a  grave  voice. 

[44] 


THE  YAMAKI  HOUSEHOLD 

"I  don't  know  what  else  to  do  for  her. 
Kane,"  she  said,  turning  to  the  servant  girl 
who  was  arranging  the  dishes,  "leave  us  alone 
for  a  moment  .  .  .  Imagine,  only  today  0-Toyo 
smashed  a  cup,  tore  one  of  her  gowns  to  shreds 
and  for  the  most  trivial  reasons  she  flies  into 
a  terrible  passion!  And  she's  scarcely  eigh- 
teen!" 

"I'm  afraid  we'll  be  forced  to  send  her  to 
the  Sugamo  insane  asylum.  Poor  girl!" 

"This  is  no  time  for  jesting.  I  pity  her  with 
all  my  heart.  This  very  day  she  was  saying 
to  Take,  *  That  ungrateful  wretch  Takeo !  The 
cruel  monster!  At  New  Year's  I  sent  him  a 
pair  of  slippers  embroidered  by  my  own  hands 
and  a  little  handkerchief  embroidered  with 
flowers,  and  gloves  ....  and  other  nick-nacks. 
And  last  year  didn't  I  send  him  a  beautiful 
shirt  of  red  wool?  All  of  them  bought  with 
my  savings.  And  the  ingrate,  without  even 
letting  me  know  a  thing,  went  and  married  that 
ugly,  repulsive,  haughty  Nami-ko.  The  traitor ! 
And  I  am  the  daughter  of  Yamaki!  Why 
should  he  thrust  me  aside  for  a  thing  like  Nami- 
ko-san  I  The  ill-bred  monster ! '  And  she  wept 
with  scalding  tears.  Really,  dear,  can  noth- 

[45] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

ing  be  done  for  her?  She  is  so  wildly  in  love 
with  him!" 

"Nonsense!  'Like  mother,  like  daughter,' 
says  the  proverb,  and  upon  my  word,  you  are 
a  worthy  mother  of  this  capricious  girl.  Let 
me  tell  you  that  Kawashima  has  been  made  a 
noble  recently,  that  he  has  a  large  patrimony, 
and  above  all  that  he's  not  a  fool.  As  far  as 
I'm  concerned  I've  done  everything  in  my 
power  to  marry  off  0-Toyo,  but  it's  of  no  use. 
Now  he  is  married,  and  that  door  is  closed. 
Unless  Nami  dies  or  is  divorced  there 's  no  more 
hope.  Meanwhile  please  cease  your  useless 
complaining  and  hunt  out  an  even  better  match. 
You're  a  gifted  woman,  aren't  you?" 

"You  speak  sheer  nonsense.  I'm  not  so 
brave  or  clever  as  you  ....  you,  who  at  fifty 
still  like  those  distractions  that  should  be  left 
to  youngsters ! ' ' 

"I'm  in  no  mood  to  put  up  with  your  out- 
breaks. It  seems  to  me  that  you  often  talk 
beside  the  point  and  excite  yourself  over 
trifles.  .  .  .  You  know  that  I  love  0-Toyo  just 
as  much  as  you  do  ....  she  is  my  daughter. 
Only,  instead  of  wasting  my  time  in  lamenting 
over  the  past  or  in  imagining  impossible  things, 
I  believe  it  best  to  work  for  her  future  happi- 

[46] 


THE  YAMAKI  HOUSEHOLD 

ness.  Come,  0-Sumi,  let's  go  in  to  her  and  try 
to  take  her  mind  away  from  her  thoughts." 

And  they  both  walked  off  through  a  long 
corridor  to  0-Toyo's  room. 

Hyozo  Yamaki  was  of  humble  origin,  but  he 
was  considered  a  most  skillful  business  man. 
At  the  beginning  of  Yamaki 's  career  Takeo's 
father  had  shown  very  good  will  toward  him, 
and  for  this  reason  he  still  remained  grateful 
toward  Takeo's  family;  this  feeling  was  more- 
over strengthened  by  the  consideration  that 
the  Kawashima  family  was  one  of  the  richest 
and  most  highly  regarded  of  the  new  nobility. 
But  perhaps  this  judgment  is  too  unjust. 

Yamaki  lived  in  Shiba,  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  sections  of  Tokyo,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  Imperial  Palace,  and  possessed  in 
addition  a  country  residence  near  Hashiba. 
At  first  he  had  engaged  in  an  enterprise 
strongly  resembling  usury,  but  now  he  was 
busy  exclusively  with  contracts  for  army  and 
government  supplies.  His  only  son  was  at  the 
time  in  America,  gaining  business  experience, 
and  his  daughter  0-Toyo  had  shortly  before 
left  the  Peeress  Institute,  which  was  attended 
by  the  daughters  of  the  most  distinguished 
families.  As  for  his  wife,  nobody  had  ever 

[47] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

succeeded  in  learning  how  or  when  he  had  mar- 
ried her,  and  information  about  her  was  con- 
fined to  the  fact  that  she  came  from  Kyoto. 
She  was  a  simple,  domestic  woman, — so  much 
so  that  many  wondered  how  Yamaki  had  taken 
a  liking  to  her.  Of  course  he  had  a  few  lady 
friends  whom  he  was  privileged  to  call ' '  charm- 
ing, "  "  amiable ' '  and  so  on,  and  who  constantly 
awaited  his  visits.  His  wife  was  not  at  all 
ignorant  of  this. 

In  the  alcove  were  a  harp  and  a  mandolin, 
placed  beside  a  glass  case  containing  a  large 
doll.  In  a  corner  stood  a  magnificent  inlaid 
dressing  table  against  the  wall,  facing  a  cheval 
glass.  The  entire  room  was  so  richly  furnished 
that  one  would  have  easily  imagined  it  belonged 
to  the  wife  of  a  Croesus,  and  one's  eye  nat- 
urally turned  toward  the  silk-covered  bed  to 
seek  there  the  queen  of  so  elegant  a  realm. 

Upon  the  bed  lay  a  girl  of  seventeen  im- 
patiently gathering  around  her  neck  the  thick 
hair  that  surrounded  her  rosy  face  and  chubby 
cheeks.  Her  lips  were  half  open  as  if  she  were 
too  fatigued  to  keep  them  closed  and  her  eyes, 
under  the  thin  eyebrows,  appeared  swollen,  as 

[48] 


THE   YAMAKI  HOUSEHOLD 

if  veiled  by  a  thin  cloud,  in  the  awakening  from 
a  sleep  tormented  by  dreams. 

"Silly  goose!"  she  screamed  at  her  maid, 
who  at  that  moment  was  leaving  the  room  to 
execute  one  of  her  mistress's  orders,  smiling 
in  spite  of  herself  at  the  capriciousness  of 
0-Toyo's  desires. 

The  young  girl,  left  alone,  threw  aside,  the 
cover  with  a  swift,  nervous  gesture,  jumped  to 
the  floor,  seized  a  photograph  that  lay  with 
others  in  a  corner  of  the  alcove,  looked  with 
sarcastic  smile  at  the  group  of  uniformed 
schoolgirls  that  it  represented,  quickly  pointed 
her  finger  at  one  of  these  with  a  scornful  titter, 
and  the  better  to  show  her  antipathy  repeatedly 
scratched  the  face  of  her  rival  with  her  little 
pink  nails. 

At  this  very  moment  the  door  opened. 

"Who  it  is?    You,  Take!" 

"Yes,  it's  Take  ....  a  rather  bald  Take!" 
replied  Yamald  with  a  laugh,  and  he  sat  down 
near  the  bed,  while  the  mother  took  her  post 
at  the  other  side.  The  girl  tried  to  hide  the 
photograph  by  bending  over  upon  it. 

"How  are  you,  0-Toyo?  Better?  What  are 
you  doing?  Let's  see.  Let's  see,  I  tell  you! 
Ah!  Nami-ko-san's  picture!  You've  scratched 

[49] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

it  up  beautifully !  It  would  be  a  thousand  times 
better  to  recite  conjurations  in  a  chapel  at  mid- 
night, rather  than  take  revenge  in  so  harmless 
and  silly  a  manner!" 

"Yamaki,  don't  put  any  abominable  notions 
into  her  head!"  exclaimed  his  wife  with  an  in- 
dignant glance. 

"0-Toyo,  are  you  or  are  you  not  the  daugh- 
ter of  Hyozo  Yamaki?  Show  how  brave  you 
are  and  think  rather  of  your  happiness  instead 
of  remaining  faithful  to  that  proud  fellow  who 
doesn't  return  your  love.  My  dear  child,  try 
to  win  the  son  of  some  millionaire,  like  Mitsui 
or  Mitsubushi,  or  the  son  of  a  marshal  or  a 

minister  or  the  like Or  better  still,  some 

foreign  prince.  How  can  you  be  so  foolish?" 

Her  Excellency,  Lady  0-Toyo,  who  assumed 
an  air  of  great  authority  and  violence  when  she 
was  alone  with  her  mother,  and  screamed  and 
wept  without  restraint,  was  always  intimidated 
by  the  presence  of  her  father;  now,  too,  she 
was  abashed  and  speechless. 

"You  don't  answer  me,  my  little  girl?  Can't 
you  really  forget  Takeo-san?  You  love  him  so 
much,  even  now?  ....  Listen,  0-Toyo,  would 
you  like  to  go  to  Kyoto  for  a  little  holiday?  It's 
such  a  diverting  trip.  There  are  so  many  sights 

[50] 


THE  YAMAKI  HOUSEHOLD 

to  take  in,  and  from  there  we  can  go  to  Nishijin 
and  in  one  of  the  great  silk  shops  you  could 
buy  something  nice, — an  elegant  obi  or  a 
samnaigasame.  Will  you  come?  You  won't 
refuse  me,  will  you?  0-Sumi,"  he  continued, 
turning  to  his  wife,  "you  haven't  been  to  Kyoto 
for  some  time.  You  could  go  along  with 
0-Toyo." 

"What?    Won't  you  accompany  us?" 

"I?  ....  Do  you  imagine.  .  .  .  Don't  you 
see  how  much  business  I  have  on  my  hands  ? ' ' 

"Then  I'll  not  go,  either." 

"What  do  you  call  this ?  Do  you  mean  to  dis- 
obey me?" 

"Ah!    Ah!" 

"What  is  it?" 

"Ah!  Ah!  Ah!" 

"Stop  that!  I  don't  want  you  to  laugh  so. 
Tell  me  at  once  why  you  don 't  want  to  go  ?  " 

"Because  I  can't  leave  you  behind  without 
someone  to  keep  an  eye  on  you." 

"Fie!  How  dare  you  utter  such  nonsense 
before  your  daughter!  ....  0-Toyo,  don't  be- 
lieve a  word  your  mother  says.  .  .  .  Don't  even 
listen." 

"Come,  now.  Don't  play  the  hypocrite  with 
me,"  added  0-Sumi. 

[51] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

"Better  not  get  me  angry. . . .  Come,  0-Toyo, 
my  dear  little  girl.  Don't  worry;  cheer  up  and 
be  brave.  You'll  see  that  everything  will  turn 
out  right " 


[52] 


CHAPTER  V 

At  the  General's  Home 

ON  a  Saturday  afternoon  toward  the 
middle  of  June,  while  the  chestnut 
trees  fronting  a  beautiful  house  in  the 
Akasaka  quarter  of  Tokyo  open  their  blossoms 
to  the  warm  rays  of  the  sun,  Viscount-General 
Kataoma  is  comfortably  seated  in  his  study. 
He  is  about  fifty ;  the  top  of  his  head  is  bald,  and 
his  hair  is  beginning  to  turn  gray,  while  his  cor- 
pulence is  such  that  the  strongest  steed  would 
dissolve  in  perspiration  under  his  weight;  his 
flabby  neck  almost  disappears  between  his  two 
square  shoulders  and  his  double  chin  grazes  the 
top  of  his  chest.  The  face  of  this  massive  gen- 
tleman is  bronzed  by  the  sun,  his  lips  are  red 
and  fleshy,  his  beard  is  sparse,  his  eyebrows 
thin.  Only  his  eyes  contrast  with  the  other 
parts  of  his  person,  for  they  are  small  and 
narrow,  like  those  of  an  elephant,  and  shine 
with  an  expression  of  great  kindness  that 
harmonizes  with  the  perpetual  smile  of  the 
lips  and  helps  endow  his  features  with  a  gently 
humoristic  appearance. 

[53] 


THE    HEART    OF    XAMI-SAX 

Several  years  before,  while  he  was  on  a  hunt- 
ing trip  in  a  mountainous  region  he  had  hap- 
pened, in  seeking  refreshments,  to  knock  at  the 
door  of  a  solitary  cabin  inhabited  by  a  woman 
who  lived  alone.  He  was  in  civil  dress  and  the 
old  woman,  after  having  scrutinized  him  with 
glances  that  expressed  a  keen  admiration,  ex- 
claimed, "How  stout  you  are!  I'll  wager 
you've  killed  any  amount  of  game!" 

He  replied  with  his  indulgent,  kindly  smile. 

"Xo,  almost  nothing!" 

"It's  impossible  to  get  all  the  food  you  need 
by  hunting.  Listen  to  my  advice.  Get  a 
laborer's  job  and  I'll  bet  that  with  your  strong, 
robust  appearance,  they'll  offer  you  as  high 
as  fifty  yen  without  a  murmur " 

"Per  month?" 

"No  no !  Per  year,  of  course.  Think  it  over, 
and  if  you  should  decide  to  do  so,  come  to  me, 
for  111  give  you  work  and  good  wages." 

"Very  welL  .  .  .  Who  knows!  It  may  well 
happen  that  some  day  or  other  111  come  back 
and  consider  your  offer." 

"Do  so,  yes.  Feel  free  to  do  so.  It's  really 
a  shame,  with  all  your  strength,  to  waste  time 
hunting!" 

This  comical  incident  was  one  of  the  anec- 

[54] 


AT   THE   GENERAL'S   HOME 

dotes  that  he  repeated  most  often  and  with 
most  pleasure.  Indeed,  whoever  did  not  know 
him  would  have  carried  away  at  first  sight  an 
impression  very  similar  to  that  formed  by  the 
old  woman.  But  to  those  who  knew  him  this 
energetic  soldier  represented  a  shining  tower 
of  manly  strength,  and  in  times  of  uncertainty 
and  anxiety  everybody  reposed  the  same  confi- 
dence in  him  as  would  have  been  placed  by  a 
besieged  town  in  a  solid  wall  of  steeL  His 
massive  body,  which  dominated  the  crowd  like 
a  little  hill,  his  calm  mind  that  could  think 
rapidly  and  clearly,  so  inspired  the  courage  of 
his  soldiers  that  not  one  of  them,  at  his  side, 
would  ever  tremble  in  face  of  the  greatest  dan- 
gers. 

In  the  general's  room,  on  the  table  near  the 
arm-chair,  stood  a  little  blue  pot  in  which 
grew,  straight  and  slender,  twin  bamboo  plants. 
On  the  front  wall  hung  the  pictures  of  the  Em- 
peror and  the  Empress,  and  below  them  fixed 
to  the  wall  were  two  autograph  letters  of  the 
famous  statesman  and  marshal,  Xanshu;  one 
of  these  read  "Be  kind  to  one  another!" 
There  was  also  a  bookcase  with  several  rows 
of  books;  on  the  mantle  over  the  fireplace  and 
on  a  triangular  little  table  were  arranged  pho- 

[55] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

tographs  of  Japanese  and  foreigners,  many  of 
whom  were  in  military  uniform. 

The  bright  green  curtains  had  been  drawn 
aside  and  the  six  windows  facing  the  east  and 
the  south  were  wide  open;  one's  gaze,  soaring 
above  Tanimaki  street,  thronged  with  people, 
rested  upon  the  leafy  slope  of  the  Reinan  hill, 
crowned  with  the  steep  tower  of  Atago,  around 
which  a  kite  was  circling  in  slowly  ascending 
spirals.  Towards  the  south  appeared  a  garden 
shaded  by  chestnut  trees  in  full  bloom,  and  in 
one  part  of  the  chestnut  grove  rose  erect  a  tall 
poplar  from  the  sacred  precincts  of  Hikawa, 
straight  and  majestic  as  a  silver  lance. 

The  beautiful  sky  of  early  summer,  beheld 
in  large  squares  through  the  windows,  seemed 
like  an  elegant  texture  of  cerulean  silk.  Here 
and  there,  through  the  leaves  whose  green  was 
still  pale,  rose  in  luxuriant  growth  the  chestnut 
blossoms,  the  highest  of  them  clearly  outlined 
against  the  luminous  background  of  the  heavens. 
One  flourishing  branch  had  reached  to  the  top 
of  the  wall  and  was  advancing  into  the  room; 
it  was  straight  and  thick,  but  elegantly  adorned 
with  garlanded  tufts  and  its  leaves,  filtering 
the  light  of  the  sun,  refracted  it  in  beams  that 

[56] 


AT    THE   GENERAL'S   HOME 

shone  like  emeralds,  sapphires  and  golden 
amber. 

A  gentle  breath  of  breeze  scattered  the  per- 
fume of  the  blossoms  through  the  room,  while 
the  shadows  of  the  swaying  leaves  danced  a  jig 
upon  the  pages  of  The  Present  Status  of  the 
Siberian  Railroad,  which  the  general  held  in 
his  left  hand.  For  an  instant  he  closed  his 
small  eyes,  breathing  deeply,  then  he  opened 
them  again,  slowly  bringing  his  gaze  to  the 
open  book.  From  afar  came  a  noise  like  the 
grating  of  a  pulley,  and  when  this  had  died 
away  the  deep  quiet  of  noon  enveloped  the  en- 
tire house.  Then  suddenly  appeared  two  little 
rascals  that  seemed  to  have  awaited,  in  ambush, 
the  most  propitious  moment  for  breaking  into 
the  house.  Timidly  they  thrust  their  heads 
through  the  door,  which  was  slightly  ajar,  and 
at  once  drew  them  back.  The  sound  of  their 
suffocated  laughter  could  be  heard.  One  of 
these  was  a  boy  of  about  eight,  dressed  like  a 
sailor,  the  other  was  a  little  girl  that  seemed 
two  or  three  years  younger  than  her  companion ; 
she  wore  her  hair  loose  and  the  folds  of  her 
rose-striped  garment  were  clasped  by  a  purple- 
red  girdle. 

The    two    little    rogues    hesitated    several 

[57] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

moments,  and  then,  as  if  the  wait  was  too  long, 
pushed  the  door  wide  open,  rushed  into  the 
room,  and  gracefully  clearing  a  pile  of  news- 
papers made  a  direct  assault  upon  the  general's 
easy-chair,  together  embracing  his  knees,  the 
sailor  at  the  right  and  the  little  curly-head  at 
the  left. 

"Papa!" 

"Oh!  So  here  you  are  again,  rascals?" 
asked  the  general  in  his  deep  voice,  smiling, 
while  his  heavy  hands  caressed  the  shoulders 
of  the  little  naval  officer  and  the  curly  head  of 
the  girl.  "And  how  did  it  go  with  your  examin- 
ations f ' ' 

"Papa,  I  got  'Excellent'  in  arithmetic." 

"Daddy,  first  listen  to  me.  The  teacher  said 
that  my  embroidery  was  excellent.  Look." 
And  the  tot  took  from  her  basket  the  sample 
of  her  handiwork  and  spread  it  out  across  the 
general's  knees. 

"Oh!    Oh!    Really  that's  beautiful!" 

"And  I  got  'Good'  in  reading  and  writing  and 
'Fair'  in  everything  else.  But  just  as  I  was  com- 
ing out  of  school  Minamaki  hit  me,  and  she  was 
my  best  friend,  and  now  I  feel  so  unhappy. ..." 

"My  dear  little  girlie!  May  that  be  the 
greatest  misfortune  you'll  ever  know! .  .  .  And 

[58] 


AT    THE   GENERAL'S   HOME 

my  sailor  laddie!  What  stories  did  you  read 
today?" 

* i  The  story  of  Masatsura.1  Tell  me,  when  you 
were  a  boy,  did  you  and  your  schoolmates  love 
Masatsura  as  much  as  we  do?  If  you  only 
knew  how  we  love  him!  ....  Papa,  who  was 
greater,  Masatsura  or  Napoleon?" 

"They  were  both  great  men.  ..." 

"Papa,  I  like  Masatsura,  but  I  prefer  the 
navy.  You  in  the  army,  I  in  the  navy.  .  .  .  How 
fine!" 

The  general  laughed  at  his  words. 

"So  you're  going  to  be  a  sailor  like  Takeo- 
san.  .  .  .?" 

"Oh,  no!  Takeo-san  is  only  an  ensign.  I 
want  to  be  a  general. ' ' 

"In  the  navy  we  say  admiral.  .  .  .  What? 
Have  you  lost  your  desire  to  became  an  ad- 
miral?" 

"You're  a  general,  pa.  But  a  general  is 
greater  than  an  ensign,  isn't  he?" 

"Ensign  or  general,  the  one  who  works  the 
hardest  will  reach  highest." 

"Papa,  listen,  papa  dear!"  exclaimed  the 
curly  head,  jumping  upon  her  father's  knee. 

1  Masatsura  (1826-1348).  Elde.st  son  of  the  hero  Masashige- 
Kusonoki,  in  his  struggle  against  the  Ashikaga  he  was  defeated 
and  perished  together  with  all  his  men. 

[59] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

"The  teacher  told  us  such  a  pretty  story — the 
story  of  the  hare  and  the  tortoise.  Shall  I  tell 
it  to  you?  .  .  .  There  was  once  upon  a  time  a 
hare  and  a  tortoise  who.  .  .  .  Ah !  Here 's  mam- 
ma!" 

At  this  moment  the  two  children  darted  to- 
ward the  door,  through  which  entered  a  woman 
in  the  forties,  of  slender  figure,  her  hair  dressed 
in  European  fashion  and  parted  in  the  front; 
her  large  eyes,  which  slanted  slightly,  shone 
with  a  keenly  sarcastic  expression ;  her  face,  of 
rather  dark  complexion,  was  covered  with  a 
very  fine  layer  of  rice  powder  and  her  teeth, 
which  she  took  care  to  show  while  she  spoke, 
were  beautifully  chiselled  and  shiningly  white. 
She  wore  a  costly  garment  of  crape,  encircled 
by  a  silk  girdle,  and  many  precious  stones 
sparkled  on  her  fingers. 

"Here  you  are,  still  hanging  around  your 
father's  neck!" 

"No.  It  was  I  who  was  asking  about  their 
school  work." 

"But  now  it's  time  for  papa  himself  to  take 
his  English  lesson.  Run  off,  now,  like  good 
little  children,  and  play  outside  till  I  come  out 
to  take  you  for  a  nice  walk." 

[60] 


AT   THE   GENERAL'S   HOME 

" Isn't  that  lovely!"  cried  the  curly-head, 
clapping  her  little  hands. 

"Hurrah!    Hurrah!"  shouted  the  sailor. 

And  taking  each  other  by  the  hand  they 
hopped  out  of  the  room.  For  a  time  the  glad 
shouting  of  the  sailor  could  be  heard,  and  also 
a  voice,  imploring,  "Let  me  go,  Ki-chan!" 
Then  the  childish  prattle  was  lost  in  the  dis- 
tance. 

"You  may  say  what  you  please,  but  you  are 
too  indulgent  toward  your  children. ' ' 

The  general,  at  this  reproof,  replied,  smiling, 
"I  don't  think  so.  Children  get  along  much 
better  when  they  feel  that  they're  loved." 

"But,  my  dear,  you  know  that  the  popular 
saying  couples  a  severe  father  with  a  compas- 
sionate mother.  If  you  persist  in  spoiling  them 
in  this  way  the  proverb  will  have  to  be  reversed 
and  it  will  behoove  me  alone  to  correct  them. 
And  in  that  manner  I'll  become  hateful  to 
them " 

"There,  there.  .  .  .  Don't  scold  me,  and  be  a 
little  indulgent  yourself.  And  now,  Madame 
Professor,  make  yourself  comfortable,  I  pray." 

The  general  took  from  his  book-case  an  Eng- 
lish primer,  The  Royal  Third  Reader,  and  be- 
gan to  read,  pronouncing  the  words  slowly 

[61] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

without  abandoning  the  characteristic  inflection 
of  the  dialect  of  Satsuma,  a  province  in  south- 
ern Japan,  where  he  had  been  born. 

The  woman  listened  attentively  and  from 
time  to  time  corrected  some  error. 

The  general  received  this  lesson  every  day. 
His  high  position  was  the  reward  of  valor 
shown  in  the  battles  that  had  taken  place  during 
the  War  of  Kestoration  in  1868,  so  that  he  soon 
found  himself  occupying  an  office  that  left  him 
little  time  for  the  study  of  foreign  languages. 
For  a  few  years  he  had  now  been  in  an  auxiliary 
position,  and  soon  had  found  sufficient  leisure 
to  give  to  the  learning  of  English,  taking  as 
instructor  his  wife,  who,  through  the  desire  of 
her  father  (descendant  of  a  noble  family  of 
Choshu)  had  been  many  years  in  England  for 
the  purposes  of  a  thorough  education.  She 
returned  knowing  more  about  the  English  lan- 
guage, perhaps,  than  any  one  in  Japan.  Her 
mind  had  become  so  impregnated  with  the  ideas 
of  the  Far  West  that  it  seemed  the  most  natural 
thing  in  the  world  for  her  to  regulate  and 
supervise  the  entire  affairs  of  the  household, 
according  to  foreign  custom.  Unfortunately, 
however,  circumstances  and  force  of  habit  often 
contended  with  her  reformatory  desires,  and 

[62] 


AT   THE   GENERAL'S   HOME 

more  than  once  the  servants  of  the  house  found 
it  difficult  to  restrain  a  smile  of  pity  for  what 
they  called  her  inexperience,  and  the  children, 
when  they  were  not  playing  with  their  father, 
whom  they  adored,  would  upset  the  mother  en- 
tirely with  their  noisy  games  and  tiresome 
complaints.  All  this,  constantly  looked  upon 
with  the  utmost  oriental  indifference  by  the 
general,  who  did  not  concern  himself  at  all 
with  the  matters  of  trifling  import  that  daily 
took  place  about  him,  finally  embittered  the 
character  of  Madame  Shige-ko. 

Meanwhile  the  general,  not  without  having 
encountered  more  than  one  difficulty,  had 
reached  the  end  of  the  page  and  was  already 
translating  the  first  sentences  when  the  door 
opened,  making  way  for  a  graceful  girl  of  about 
fifteen  years,  who  wore  her  hair  loose,  tied  with 
a  bright  red  ribbon.  The  young  girl  could  not 
control  a  smile  upon  seeing  her  father  reading 
as  diligently  as  a  pupil  from  a  small  book  that 
was  almost  hidden  by  his  large  hands. 

' '  Mamma,  Aunt  Kato  is  in  the  sitting-room. ' ' 
The  woman  did  not  move,  waiting  for  a  sign 
from  the  general ;  her  eyebrows,  however,  were 
contracted  into  a  slight  wrinkle. 

[63] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

The  general  arose  at  once  and  said,  moving 
a  chair  close  to  his  own,  "Ask  her  to  come  in." 

1 1  Good  day, ' '  he  smilingly  greeted  the  woman 
of  pleasant  mien  who  came  into  the  room. 

She  seemed  to  be  about  forty-five  and  wore 
thick  glasses  because  of  her  weak  eyesight. 
Upon  her  face  could  be  detected  a  slight  resem- 
blance to  Nami-san,  which  was  quite  natural,  as 
she  was  the  sister  of  General  Kataoka's  first 
wife.  She  was  the  wife  of  Viscount  Kato,  mem- 
ber of  the  Senate,  and  her  husband,  aided  by 
her,  had  been  the  intermediary  in  the  marriage 
of  Nami  to  Takeo. 

The  general  brought  the  chair  forward  for 
her,  smiling,  and  lowered  the  curtain  before 
her,  saying,  "It's  a  long  time  since  I've  seen 
you.  ...  Is  your  husband  still  very  busy?" 

"Indeed,  he's  far  more  diligent  than  the 
gardeners  and  spends  the  whole  day  with  the 
shears  in  his  hands.  It 's  still  too  early  for  the 
gladioli,  but  our  pomegranates,  of  which  he's 
so  proud,  are  beginning  to  blossom.  .  .  .  And 
the  roses  are  in  full  bloom !  You  '11  come  to  see 
them,  won't  you?  My  husband  told  me  ex- 
pressly to  invite  you." 

[64] 


AT   THE   GENERAL'S   HOME 

And  turning  to  Madame  Kataoka,  she  added, 
" Bring  Ki-chan  and  Mi-chan  along,  do." 

In  truth,  the  general's  wife  was  not  especially 
fond  of  Madame  Kato.  The  difference  in  cul- 
ture and  character  constituted  in  itself  an 
obstacle  to  the  birth  of  any  sympathetic  under- 
standing between  the  two  women.  Moreover, 
the  consideration  that  this  woman  was  the 
sister  of  the  general's  first  wife  came  too  fre- 
quently to  the  mind  of  the  general's  second 
wife,  and  caused  her  no  little  uneasiness,  al- 
though she  could  not  quite  understand  why. 
Perhaps  it  was  because  her  domineering  char- 
acter could  not  support  any  outside  inter- 
ference whatsoever  in  the  heart  as  in  the  home 
of  the  general,  over  whom  she  alone  desired 
to  wield  the  scepter.  The  sister  of  his  first 
wife,  who  not  only  evoked  in  the  general 's  mind 
the  figure  of  the  dead  woman,  but  also,  with 
her  deep  affection  for  Nami  and  her  sympathy 
for  Iku  awoke  all  the  memories  of  the  past, 
seemed  to  contest  the  supremacy  of  the  second 
wife,  keeping  alive  the  memory  of  her  who  was 
no  more,  and  this  thought  was  insupportable  to 
Madame  Shiga.  Now,  however,  that  Nami 
and  Iku  had  gone,  it  seemed  that  the  hostile 
coalition  had  been  dissolved,  but  whenever 

[65] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

Madame  Kato  appeared  the  other  woman  felt 
her  antipathy  return,  as  if  the  first  wife  in 
person  had  come  back  to  struggle  with  her  and 
reassume  her  authority  as  ruler  of  the  house- 
hold, renewing  former  customs  now  abolished 
or  changed  according  to  a  thoroughly,  accu- 
rately pre-established  plan  of  reform. 

Madame  Kato  took  from  her  bag  a  box  of 
candies  and  placed  it  upon  the  table,  saying, 
"With  my  greetings  to  Ki-chan  and  Mi-chan. 
Isn  't  school  over  yet  I . .  .  I  don 't  see  them.  .  .  . 
And  here's  something  for  you, — a  little  token 
of  my  affection,"  she  added,  offering  to  the 
girl  in  the  red  ribbon,  who  was  just  coming  in 
with  the  cups  of  tea,  a  pin  adorned  with  an 
artificial  flower. 

"Thanks,  auntie,  and  for  the  children, 
too.  . . .  They'll  be  so  happy!" 

At  this  moment  a  servant  announced  that  a 
man  with  the  insignia  of  the  Red  Cross  asked 
for  Madame  Shiga;  she  excused  herself  and 
walked  out  quickly,  not  without  having  first 
made  a  sign  to  the  girl  and  whispered  some- 
thing to  her;  the  girl  at  once  concealed  herself 
behind  a  window  curtain,  ready  to  overhear  the 
talk  between  her  aunt  and  her  father. 

Koma,  although  a  daughter  of  the  general's 

[66] 


AT   THE   GENERAL'S   HOME 

first  wife,  was  a  great  favorite  with  her  step- 
mother, who,  on  the  other  hand,  hated  Nami, 
because  her  silent  and  reserved  character  made 
her  appear  obstinate  and  contrary,  while  the 
younger  sister  was  quick  and  vivacious,  more 
like  Madame  Shiga  herself.  Besides  this  she 
liked  to  show  a  preference  for  Koma,  like  a 
good  step-mother,  as  if  thereby  to  compensate 
the  little  girl  for  the  caresses  which  her  father 
showered  in  greater  profusion  upon  his  first- 
born favorite.  Egotistic,  stubborn  persons  al- 
ways act  from  selfish  motives,  without  regard 
to  others.  But  there  is  a  weak  side  to  their 
character,  for  they  are  much  concerned  over 
the  opinion  in  which  they  are  held.  Hence 
arise  those  of  their  deeds  that  are  certain  of 
winning  the  approbation  of  others,  in  reality 
pleasing  themselves  only.  For  none  is  more 
desirous  than  they  of  winning  praise.  Madame 
Kataoka,  so  cultured  and  intelligent  that  she 
had  conquered  her  husband,  universally  es- 
teemed for  her  wisdom  in  many  a  discussion, 
was  yet  unable  to  gain  for  herself  any  part  of 
that  deep  friendship  that  all  felt  for  the  gen- 
eral. And  naturally,  left  alone,  she  gladly  re- 
ceived any  display  of  affection  toward  her. 
The  former  servants  of  the  household,  a  trifle 

[67] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

uncouth,  perhaps,  but  honest  and  affectionate, 
had  been  discharged  one  after  the  other,  and 
the  vacant  posts  had  been  given  to  persons  of 
greater  refinement,  who  knew  how  to  address 
their  mistress  with  honied  lips. 

Koma-san,  of  course,  had  no  reason  for  dis- 
liking her  sister,  but  since  she  had  discovered 
that  her  step-mother  appeared  satisfied  when 
people  spoke  ill  of  Nami,  she  took  every  oppor- 
tunity to  tell  stories  about  her  sister,  which 
were  often  met  by  the  astonished,  incredulous 
glances  of  faithful  Iku.  This  evil  habit,  which 
soon  became  in  Koma  an  incorrigible  vice, 
rendered  her  often  useful  to  her  step-mother, 
even  after  Nami's  marriage. 

Koma  had  hidden  behind  the  second  window, 
which  opened  on  the  veranda  facing  the  west, 
and  heard  the  merry  langhter  of  the  general 
alternate  with  the  high-pitched  laughing  of  her 
aunt.  Suddenly  the  voices  were  lowered,  the 
words  grew  confused,  and  the  intent  ear  of  the 
girl  succeeded  in  catching  detached  phrases, 
clearly  distinguishing  the  words  "mother-in- 
law,"  "Nami-san"  and  a  few  others.  And 
now  the  air  was  filled  with  the  stirring  sounds 
of  a  military  song,  sung  by  the  sonorous  voice 
of  a  little  boy. 

[68] 


AT   THE   GENERAL'S   HOME 

One  hundred  thousand  were  the  foe, 

And  kings  rode  at  their  head. 

The  general,   fearing   their  heavy  blow, 

For  the  first  time  bowed  his  head. 

Beholding  now  his  sure  defeat 

He  fled  toward  the  rear 

And  sounded  the  signal  for  retreat 

But  —  his  soldiers  refused  to  hear! 

The  boy,  beating  time  with  his  foot  as 
he  sang,  was  attracted  by  the  big  red  bow 
that  projected  from  the  opening  of  the  win- 
dow, and  soon  ran  over  to  his  sister  despite 
her  signs  to  keep  away  and  her  imperious  shak- 
ing of  the  head  and  energetic  placing  of  her 
fingers  to  her  lips  as  a  token  to  be  silent.  The 
youngster,  pretending  not  to  understand,  happy 
at  the  opportunity  to  spite  his  sister,  shouted 
at  the  top  of  his  lungs,  "Koma-san,  what  are 
you  doing  there?"  Then  the  girl,  seeing  how 
useless  was  all  attempt  at  resistance  and  fear- 
ing to  be  discovered,  ran  quickly  and  softly 
away  with  a  strong  shrug  of  the  shoulders  ex- 
pressing forced  resignation.  But  to  the  little 
boy  she  shouted  angrily,  "You  noisy  scamp!" 
And  he  to  flee  the  rebuff,  rushed  into  the  gen- 
eral's study.  As  soon  as  he  noticed  the 
presence  of  his  aunt  he  bowed,  smiling,  and 
then  hopped  upon  his  father's  knees. 

[69] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

"And  so,  my  dear  little  Ki-chan,  we've 
grown  up,  haven't  we?  And  you  are  doing  well 
at  school?  Of  course  you  are!  In  arithmetic, 
too?  Fine!  Excellent!  Come  on  a  visit  to 
your  auntie  soon,  with  your  mamma  and  papa." 

"Where  is  Michi?"  asked  the  father,  hand- 
ing the  boy  a  piece  of  candy.  "Thank  auntie 
for  the  sweets.  Do  you  know  where  mamma 
is?  Still  in  the  sitting-room?  Eun  and  tell 
her  that  auntie  would  like  to  say  good-bye." 

While  the  little  boy  ran  off,  the  general,  who 
seemed  now  to  have  something  upon  his  mind, 
said  to  his  sister-in-law,  "Now  do  me  the  favor 
to  persuade  Iku.  .  .  .  From  the  very  first  I 
feared  what  has  now  happened.  I  shouldn't 
have  let  her  go.  But  Nami  wanted  it  so  much, 
and  Iku  was  so  happy  not  to  have  to  leave 
her.  .  .  .  And  now.  .  .  .  Do  you  understand 
just  what  I  desire?" 

At  this  moment  Madame  Kataoka  returned. 

"What?  You  are  leaving  us  so  soon?  I'm 
very  sorry  to  have  been  disturbed  just  when 
you  came. .  . .  Always  that  charity  business.  .  . 
I  'm  afraid  it  won 't  succeed  very  well  this  time. 
And  are  you  really  going?-  Give  my  kindest 
regards  to  Chizu-ko-san.  I  want  to  see  her  all 
the  more  now  that  Nami  has  left  us." 

[70] 


AT   THE   GENERAL'S   HOME 

'  *  She  hasn  't  been  very  well  recently,  and  she 
has  gone  out  but  seldom.  Good  day. ' ' 

' ' Good  day." 

"I'll  accompany  you  a  short  distance," 
offered  the  general.  Who's  coming  for  a  walk 
with  papa,  Ki  or  Mil" 

When  Madame  Kataoka  was  left  to  herself 
she  sank  into  a  rocking  chair  and  called  Koma. 

"Koma-san,  what  were  they  talking  about?" 

*  '  Really,  mamma,  I  didn  't  succeed  in  hearing 
all  of  it,  but  I  understood  that  they  were  dis- 
cussing Iku." 

''What  do  you  mean, — Iku?" 

"Yes,  it  must  have  been  something  like  this. 
Takeo-san's  aged  mother  suffers  from  rheu- 
matism and  is  often  very  ill-tempered.  It 
seems  that  on  one  of  these  days  Iku,  speaking 
with  Nami,  said  to  her,  '  My  poor  mistress !  I 
pity  you  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  for  the 
troubles  you  have  to  bear,  but  I  believe  that 
Madame  Kawashima  is  very  old  and  I'm  sure 
that  she  can 't  live  very  much  longer. '  Wasn  't 
Iku  silly  to  speak  like  that,  mamma1?" 

"Whenever  that  mumbling  old  chatterbox 
meddles  in  any  affair  she's  certain  to  commit 
some  folly!" 

' '  It  seems  that  the  mother-in-law,  passing  by 

[71] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

the  door,  heard  the  whole  conversation  and 
then  began  to  spout  sulphur  and  flame ! ' ' 

"There!  That's  what  one  gains  by  eaves- 
dropping ! ' ' 

"She  carried  on  so  badly  that  Nami,  terri- 
fied, ran  at  once  to  her  aunt  Kato. '  * 

"To  her  aunt?" 

"Yes.  Nami-san  always  runs  to  her  aunt 
for  advice  and  assistance." 

The  woman  smiled  ironically. 

"And  what  else!" 

"Then  papa  said  that  he  thought  it  would 
be  best  for  Iku  to  go  to  his  country  villa  and 
take  care  of  it." 

"Really!"  exclaimed  the  step-mother,  some- 
what agitated.  "And  nothing  more?" 

"I  might  have  heard  more,  but  that  rascal 
of  a  Ki-chan  began  to  call  me,  and  .  .  . ." 


[72] 


CHAPTER  VI 

The  Mother-in- Law 

TAKEO'S  mother  was  named  Kei  and 
was  fully  fifty-three  years  old,  of  robust 
build,  excepting  her  frequent  attacks  of 
rheumatism.  It  was  said  that  she  could  walk 
on  foot,  without  any  signs  of  weariness,  the 
seven  kilometers  between  her  home  and  the 
cemetery  where  the  tomb  of  her  husband  was 
situated,  and  this  despite  her  more  than  one 
hundred  and  seventy  pounds,  which  was  a  more 
noble  weight  than  one  usually  met  among  the 
women  of  the  nobility.  This  corpulence  had 
developed  after  the  death  of  her  husband,  six 
years  before,  for  during  his  life  she  had 
always  been  pale  and  sickly.  Some  even  sug- 
gested that,  like  a  rubber  ball,  she  had  swelled 
back  to  spherical  shape  the  moment  the  weight 
that  oppressed  her  had  been  removed. 

Her  late  husband  had  been  a  lesser  member 
of  the  nobility;  at  the  time  of  his  marriage  he 
was  sailing  in  rather  troubled  waters,  but  dur- 
ing the  exciting  times  of  the  national  restora- 

[73] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

tion  he  succeeded  in  making  himself  known  and 
as  a  consequence  for  a  long  time  occupied  the 
post  of  governor  under  the  ministry  of  Okubo, 
the  great  and  worthy  statesman  who  was  killed 
in  1879  as  the  result  of  a  misunderstanding. 
His  obstinate  character  did  not  win  him  many 
hearts  and  he  was  forced  to  content  himself 
with  the  friendship  of  a  few,  among  whom  were 
the  Viscount  Kato,  and  after  the  death  of 
Okubo  he  was  abandoned  by  almost  everybody. 
According  to  evil  tongues,  the  title  of  Baron 
had  been  conferred  upon  him,  simply  because 
he  had  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  born  in  that 
beautiful  section  of  Kagoshima.  Thus  it  came 
about  that  the  stubborn  and  choleric  Michitake 
accustomed  himself  to  drowning  his  discontent 
in  a  rather  strange  fashion  ....  and  when  he 
had  drained  the  contents  of  his  fifth  jar  of 
sake  and  faced  the  persons  around  him  with 
his  broad  shoulders  thrust  far  back  and  his 
face  as  red  as  a  demon's,  there  wasn't  a  single 
creature  who  dared  to  disagree  with  his 
opinions. 

It  was  not  easy  to  find  a  more  unhappy  do- 
mestic organization  than  that  of  the  Kawashi- 
mas.  The  entire  household  was  subjected  to 
the  despotic  will  of  the  tyrant,  and  his  family 

[74] 


THE   MOTHER-IN-LAW 

lived  as  if  amid  the  constant  fury  of  a  thunder- 
storm that  surprises  you  in  the  open  country 
under  a  tree,  with  no  lightning-rod  in  sight. 
With  the  exception  of  Takeo,  who  from  child- 
hood had  danced  on  his  father 's  knee  and  knew 
no  better  company  for  his  childish  games, 
everybody,  from  his  wife  to  the  lowest  servant, 
and  even  the  balusters  of  the  veranda,  had  felt 
with  trembling  the  oppression  of  the  master's 
iron  hand.  Even  Yamaki,  now  known  as  a 
''gentleman  merchant,"  had  in  his  time  served 
as  the  object  of  the  tyrant's  outbursts,  which 
fact,  however,  did  not  prevent  him  from  being 
a  frequent  visitor,  for,  with  philosophical  rea- 
soning, he  considered  these  events  as  a  small 
tribute  paid  in  advance  for  the  sake  of  the 
boundless  interest  he  would  collect  in  the 
future. 

Whenever  the  word  was  passed  that  "His 
Excellency"  was  in  a  dark  humor,  then  you 
could  have  heard  the  mice  run  through  the 
kitchen,  and  when  his  thundering  voice  made 
the  walls  of  the  house  tremble,  the  servant  girls 
would  often  drop  some  precious  porcelain  dish 
from  fright.  It  was  said  that  his  subordinates, 
when  they  needed  to  consult  him,  inquired  of 

[75] 


THE   HEART   OF    NAMI-SAN 

the  domestics  in  advance  as  to  what  direction 
the  wind  was  blowing  from. 

It  is  easy  to  imagine  the  patience  required 
for  a  woman  to  endure  such  a  man  for  thirty 
years !  As  long  as  his  own  parents  were  alive, 
his  character  did  not,  by  comparison,  seem  so 
extraordinary  to  her;  but  when  the  two  old 
persons  went  to  their  last  rest,  one  following 
the  other  after  a  brief  interval,  the  baron's 
temper  seemed  to  rise  to  new  heights,  and  then 
her  patience  had  to  sustain  inhuman  assaults; 
for,  after  having  at  first  tried  to  offer  some 
resistance,  she  was  forced  to  admit  that  the 
outcome  was  disastrous.  Then  the  woman,  in- 
stead of  raising  her  brow  bravely,  began  to 
bend  like  a  reed  before  the  fury  of  a  tempest, 
and  at  last  had  recourse  to  the  means  that  has 
always  proved  the  best  safeguard  in  all  dan- 
gers ....  flight. 

Later,  she  gradually  learned  the  art  of  con- 
fining the  turbulent  river  within  its  banks  and 
sometimes  success  would  smile  at  her,  but  only 
after  at  least  three  unsuccessful  attempts. 
Nevertheless  she  was  never  able  to  alter  her 
husband's  character;  on  the  contrary,  toward 
the  last  years  of  his  life,  he  had  such  frequent 
explosions  of  wrath  through  the  exciting  effect 

[761 


THE   MOTHER-IN-LAW 

of  his  abuse  of  alcoholic  drinks,  that  his  wife, 
despite  the  hardening  experience  of  twenty 
years,  suffered  terribly  in  dragging  out  her 
wretched  existence. 

Often  she  forgot,  too,  her  darling  Takeo,  and 
despite  her  gray  hairs,  she  thought  that  she 
would  have  preferred  to  change  the  enviable 
honor  of  being  a  viscountess  and  wife  of  a 
governor  for  the  peaceful  existence  of  some 
laborer's  wife. 

But  Time  flies  as  rapidly  as  an  arrow  shot 
from  a  bow.  After  thirty  years  of  marriage 
came  the  day  on  which  her  Michitake  was 
stretched  out,  rigidly,  in  a  coffin,  with  his  life- 
less gaze  turned  to  heaven Then  she 

breathed  a  deep  sigh Two  tears  even 

coursed  down  her  cheeks She  wept,  but 

at  the  same  time  felt  as  if  relieved  from  a  heavy 
burden,  and  as  she  breathed  freely  it  seemed 
that  she  glowed  with  a  new  strength  that  she 
never  would  have  felt  during  her  husband's 
life,  appalled  by  the  sound  of  his  thundering 
voice.  Now  she  came  forth  from  her  silence, 
into  the  full  light,  and  quickly  she  learned  in 
her  turn  to  exercise  the  rule  of  the  house.  The 
persons  who  had  known  her  as  a  timid,  modest 

[77] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

woman,  noticed  with  stupefaction  the  rapidity 
of  her  change. 

A  scientist  expresses  the  opinion  that  man 
and  woman,  after  many  years  of  life  in  common, 
slowly  come  more  and  more  to  resemble  each 
other,  physically  as  well  as  mentally.  Whether 
this  general  statement  is  true  or  not,  the  fact 
is  that  Madame  Kawashima  became  a  faithful 
reproduction  of  her  husband,  in  looks  as  well 
as  behavior,  in  stubborness  as  well  as  in  fiery 
temper. 

A  Japanese  proverb  speaks  of  "avenging 
yourself  upon  an  enemy  in  Yedo  by  harming 
a  person  of  Nagasaki,"  thus  formulating  an 
immutable  law  of  nature  in  all  its  domains, — 
that  of  every  action  being  followed  by  an  equal 
reaction.  If  today  a  representative  of  the 
opposition  launches  a  violent  attack  against  a 
ministerial  proposal  or  provision,  the  men  of 
his  party  exult  and  applaud  him  enthusias- 
tically   without  in  the  least  suspecting 

that  all  the  fire  of  his  scorn  comes  from  the 
importunate  demands  of  a  money-lender  on  the 
night  before,  which  excited  him  deeply  and 
urged  him  to  the  most  violent  and  desperate 
deeds!  And  who  suspects  that  the  outbreak 
of  a  storm  in  the  interior  of  Japan  could  origi- 

[78] 


THE   MOTHER-IN-LAW 

nate  in  a  trifling  atmospheric  depression  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  Yellow  Sea !  And  who 
would  believe  that  a  land-slide  in  Tuskarora 
could  cause  tidal  waves  along  the  coast!  The 
actor  Moronao  is  unsuccessful  in  his  courtship 
of  a  noble  woman,  and  as  a  result  leaves  us  a 
work  entitled  The  Lost  Arrow. 

Nature  always  insists  upon  balancing  its 
accounts !  And  in  order  to  attain  this  balance, 
according  to  the  opinion  of  one  who  had  a  great 
knowledge  of  human  nature,  weak  men  show  the 
same  eagerness  and  impatience  as  a  miser 
when  his  interest  falls  due,  while  the  strong 
and  virtuous  man  is  content  to  entrust  the 
regulation  of  his  affairs  to  the  divine  bank, 
satisfied  simply  to  fulfill  the  duties  that  fall 
to  him  with  courage  and  patience !  The  sordid 
person  yields  unresistingly  to  the  natural  laws 
that  govern  the  relations  of  inertia  and  motion ; 
he  follows  the  path  of  least  resistance. 

The  patience  of  Madame  Kawashima,  having 
been  under  high  tension  for  thirty  years,  de- 
sired to  wreak  its  vengeance  by  subjecting 
others  to  the  same  grievous  trials;  scarcely 
had  the  coffin  of  her  husband  been  closed  when 
she  opened  the  barriers  that  had  served  to  re- 
press her  reaction  till  that  time.  The  one 

[79] 


THE   HEART   OP   NAMI-SAN 

person  she  had  feared  was  no  longer  among  the 
living  ....  no  more  could  his  heavy  hand  strike 

her And  now,  it  seemed,  she  wanted  to 

show  everybody  that  her  silence  had  not  been 
born  of  weakness,  but  rather  that  she  had  been 
the  strongest  support  of  the  governor.  And 
she  began  this  manifestation  by  dunning  all 
those  who  at  various  times  borrowed  money 
from  her  husband  and  whose  debt  had  grown 
greatly  with  the  years.  Despite  the  external 
resemblance,  however,  there  was  one  great  dif- 
ference between  her  irascibility  and  that  of  the 
late  tyrant:  the  latter  had  been  a  man  of  vio- 
lent, domineering  temper,  and  however  oppres- 
sive was  the  display  of  his  anger,  there  was 
always  a  certain  character  to  his  attacks  that 
aroused  sympathy  and  pity  among  those  around 
him;  Madame  Kawashima,  on  the  other  hand, 
egotistic,  suspicious,  phlegmatic,  and  absolutely 
lacking  in  courage,  became  utterly  insupport- 
able in  the  moments  of  her  wrath  and  the 
servants  had  good  reason  to  complain  more 
than  they  had  ever  grumbled  in  the  past. 
And  this  woman  was  Nami's  mother-in-law  1 

All  young  women,  immediately  after  mar- 
riage, encounter  difficulties  that  have  the  effect 

[80] 


THE   MOTHER-IN-LAW 

of  communicating  to  their  characters  a  more 
distinctly  feminine  imprint. 

The  style  of  head-dress  called  marumage, 
customarily  adopted  by  married  women,  may 
easily  be  substituted  by  some  other  more 
modern  fashion,  and  it  often  happens  that  some 
public  servant,  perhaps  through  politeness, 
addresses  a  married  woman  as  ''mademoiselle," 
an  expression  that  embarrasses  the  young  wife 
who,  because  of  her  bashfulness,  does  not  cor- 
rect the  error.  At  home,  however,  the  servants 
finally  vex  her  with  their  ostentatious  insistence 
upon  the  title  "madame,"  which  as  yet  pleases 
her  little.  But  soon  enough  she  becomes  accus- 
tomed to  her  new  status  and  beholds  in  their 
true  light  the  persons  about  her  who,  before, 
have  been  enveloped  in  the  cloud  of  her  own 
timidity.  Nami  was  at  this  stage  of  her  life. 

Manners  and  customs  vary  with  every  family 
and  Nami,  too,  understood  that  she  must  not 
measure  her  new  life  by  the  standards  of  the 
old;  she  must  forget  that  she  had  been  Nami 
Kataoka  and  seek  to  become  a  perfect  Nami 
Kawashima.  These,  indeed,  were  the  exact 
words  that  her  father  had  whispered  to  her  as 
his  last  good  wish  before  leading  her  to  the  car- 
riage that  was  to  take  her  to  her  new  home.  .  .  . 

[81] 


THE    HEAliT    OF    NAMI-SAN 

She  recalled  the  advice  clearly,  but  upon  first 
entering  into  the  new  family  she  realized  that 
the  contrast  was  indeed  very  great. 

The  property  of  the  Kawashimas  was  far 
greater  than  that  of  the  Kataokas.  Takeo's 
father,  during  his  term  as  governor,  had  ac- 
cumulated a  large  fortune,  --so  great  indeed, 
that  the  family  was  considered  one  of  the  rich- 
est of  the  nobility.  Nevertheless  to  Nami  it 
seemed  that  in  the  household  of  Kataoka,  which 
was  loved  by  the  people  and  known  by  all 
through  the  fame  of  the  general,  everything 
shone  in  the  full  light  of  the  sun  while  in  her 
new  place  the  home  life  and  all  the  things  per- 
taining thereto  appeared  as  stagnant  as  a 
pool  of  water.  The  relatives  were  few  in 
number;  the  friends  were  still  fewer;  the  vis- 
itors that  used  to  come  from  time  to  time  while 
Takeo's  father  was  alive  abandoned  the  house 
completely  after  his  death.  The  widow,  for  the 
rest,  was  not  at  all  fond  of  society,  and  the 
head  of  the  house,  to  whom  she  looked  to  con- 
fer upon  it  prestige  and  glory,  was  still  too 
young  and  at  the  beginning  of  his  career,  for 
which  reason  he  rarely  was  with  his  mother. 
Nami's  step-mother  liked  all  the  cheerful,  mod- 
ern furnishings,  and  since  she  kept  too  busy 

[82] 


THE   MOTHER-IN-LAW 

with  domestic  affairs  to  go  out  very  often,  she 
surrounded  herself  with  a  certain  ultra-refined 
luxury.  Her  principles  of  household  manage- 
ment were  very  original  and  at  times  excited 
the  criticism  of  the  servants,  who  judged  by 
the  standards  of  ordinary  common  sense.  But, 
as  in  all  the  homes  of  high  military  officials 
visited  by  distinguished  society,  everything  in 
the  Kataoka  home  radiated  beauty  and  pomp. 
What  a  difference  in  the  new  house  into  which 
Nami  was  received! 

The  old  habits,  or  rather  the  uncouth,  pop- 
ular customs,  had  not  changed  for  thirty  years, 
ever  since  Madame  Kawashima  had  become 
the  wife  of  an  obscure  man,  and  they  remained 
in  all  their  inflexible  rigidity  as  if  they  were 
the  only  ones  known  to  the  world.  The  madame 
continued  to  take  personal  charge  of  the  most 
trivial  matters,  even  now  that  it  had  long  be- 
come unnecessary,  just  as  she  had  done  in  the 
days  when  it  had  been  unavoidable.  And  al- 
though she  used  to  designate  as  "steward"  a 
certain  Tazaki,  —  an  honest,  faithful  fellow 
who  really  discharged  the  office  of  any  ordin- 
ary house  servant,  she  regularly  looked  over 
the  monthly  account  of  expenditures  for  wood, 
coal,  and  so  on,  calculating  the  expenses  to  the 

[83] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

smallest  detail.  When  Nami  arrived  with  Iku 
as  her  special  maid,  Madame  Kawashima  ex- 
claimed, "What  luxuries  these  families  of  the 
nobility  permit  themselves ! ' '  Iku,  in  turn,  ex- 
claimed, "This  isn't  at  all  like  a  noble  house. 
Let's  hope  Takeo  won't  be  as  stingy  as  his 
mother,  and  will  know  how  to  hold  his  place 
in  society."  In  reality  the  discharge  of  Iku 
had  been  due  as  much  to  the  indelicate  cri- 
ticisms that  she  used  to  make  in  regard  to  the 
old  woman  as  to  the  conversation  that  Madame 
Kawashima  had  heard  between  Iku  and  Nami. 

It  is  not  surpising  that  Nami,  despite  her 
intelligence,  should  not  be  able  to  adapt  her- 
self at  once  to  the  new  family's  mode  of  living, 
or  to  change  her  behavior  immediately  and 
sacrifice  her  old  habits  to  the  common  practises 
of  the  new  household. 

Only  now  did  Nami  begin  to  understand  the 
deep  significance  of  her  father's  words,  and 
she  decided  in  the  bottom  of  her  heart  to  ac- 
cept her  fate.  An  opportunity  to  put  this  de- 
cision into  actual  practise  was  to  present  itself 
only  too  soon.  A  short  time  after  her  return 
from  Ikao  her  husband  was  obliged  to  leave  on 
a  cruise.  Nami,  having  married  a  naval  of- 
ficer, was  prepared  to  be  left  alone  from  time 

[84] 


THE   MOTHER-IN-LAW 

to  time,  yet  this  sudden  separation  from  her 
husband  only  a  few  months  after  their  mar- 
riage made  her  feel  very  sad,  and  for  many 
days  after  Takeo's  departure  she  went  about 
as  if  lost  and  bewildered. 

Nami's  father  had  met  Takeo  several  times 
before  the  betrothal  of  the  naval  officer  to  his 
daughter,  and  had  from  the  first  felt  very 
friendly  toward  him;  so  much  so,  indeed,  that 
Nami,  who  placed  implicit  faith  in  the  general's 
discernment,  without  hesitation  consented  to 
the  marriage.  The  future  was  to  bring  no  dis- 
illusionment in  regard  to  Takeo,  who  was  of 
strong,  kind  character,  of  keen  intelligence,  of 
straightforward,  affectionate  nature,  devoid  of 
any  taint  of  egotism.  Nami  beheld  in  him  a 
miniature  portrait  of  her  own  father  whom 
she  loved  so  devotedly.  Even  Takeo's  way  of 
walking  with  rapid,  firm  step,  his  graceful  car- 
riage and  his  laughter,  as  hearty  as  a  boy's, 
recalled  the  general. 

"How  sweet  life  must  be  at  the  side  of  so 
good  a  man ! ' '  thought  Nami,  and  suddenly  felt 
that  she  loved  with  all  her  heart  the  husband 
whom  her  father  had  chosen  for  her. 

Takeo,  on  his  side,  harbored  a  deep  feeling 
of  affection  for  his  noble  bride,  and  because  he 

[85] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

was  an  only  son  it  seemed  to  him  that  he  had 
acquired  a  sister  at  the  same  time  as  he  had 
won  a  wife,  and  he  surrounded  her  with  the 
most  solicitous  attentions,  calling  her  "my 
sweet  Nami-san". 

Scarcely  three  months  had  passed  since  the 
marriage  and  already  they  were  as  much  in 
love  as  if  they  had  known  each  other  before 
oirth,  and  their  separation,  although  tempor- 
ary, seemed  insupportable  to  both. 

But  there  was  little  time  for  Nami  to  indulge 
in  tears  over  her  misfortune,  for  immediately 
after  Takeo's  departure  her  mother-in-law  was 
seized  with  a  strong  attack  of  rheumatism,  and 
the  widow's  irascible  nature  was  therefore 
rendered  harsher  than  ever.  Poor  Nami,  left 
alone  (for  Iku,  too,  had  been  obliged  to  leave), 
spent  very  unhappy  days. 

At  college  or  in  the  army,  the  "freshman" 
or  the  recruit  is  always  the  butt  of  pranks 
played  by  the  older  men.  Later,  the  newcomer 
himself  becomes  one  of  the  "old  guard"  and 
in  his  turn  takes  revenge  upon  the  beginners. 
This  is  an  unalloyed  pleasure,  write  certain 
authors. 

A  mother-in-law  who  had  in  her  own  time 
known  the  difficulty  of  adapting  herself  to  the 

[86] 


THE   MOTHER-IN-LAW 

ways  of  a  new  family  might  have  been  expected 
to  show  indulgence  toward  a  young  wife.  But 
human  nature  is  so  frail  that  it  is  enough  for 
the  bloom  of  youth  to  depart  and  for  a  woman 
to  find  herself  a  mother-in-law,  whereupon  her 
tyrannical  instincts  are  aroused  and  lead  her 
to  become  the  hateful  mother-in-law  of  prover- 
bial notoriety. 

"Look,  youVe  made  a  mistake  in  estimating 
the  length  of  this  gusset;  you'll  have  to 
make  a  long  seam  of  about  ten  centimeters  and 
then  fold  it  over  this  way.  .  .  .  Ah!  What  a 
child!"  This  would  be  a  fairly  kind  and 
friendly  manner  in  which  a  mother-in-law 
might  express  herself.  Even  if  she  felt  quite 
differently !  ' '  Heavens,  heavens !  Who  ever 
saw  the  like !  Here !  Right  here !  Good  Lord ! 
Have  you  been  asleep  all  these  twenty  years? 
And  you,  such  as  you,  pretend  to  know  how  to 
run  a  house ! "  It  might  well  happen  that  in  a 
similar  situation  the  mother-in-law,  suddenly 
struck  by  a  vague  recollection  of  the  aversion 
she  had  herself  conceived  many  years  before 
for  an  irate  voice  and  a  sarcastic  glance  that 
had  persecuted  her,  should  feel  in  her  heart  a 
certain  fear  of  making  herself  just  as  unbear- 
able, and  seek  to  make  affectionate  and  gener- 

[87] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

ous  amends  for  her  outbursts  of  impatience. 
Such  a  mother-in-law  might  well  be  called  a 
blessing  from  heaven! 

In  general,  however,  mothers-in-law  proceed 
from  an  entirely  opposite  principle.  "An  eye 
for  an  eye  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth ! ' '  And  they 
vent  their  rage  upon  the  young  wife  of  Naga- 
saki in  order  to  get  revenge  for  the  persecu- 
tions that  they  suffered  at  the  hands  of  their 
own  mother-in-law  at  Yedo.  It  is  a  sort  of 
right  of  reprisal  that  mothers-in-law  exercise, 
almost  following  a  natural  impulse,  and  in- 
tensifying their  cruelty  so  as  to  sate  their  de- 
sire for  vengeance  during  the  brief  space  of 
life  still  remaining  to  them. 

Nami's  mother-in-law  was  of  this  latter 
variety. 

Poor  Nami!  After  having  long  suffered  at 
the  hands  of  a  Europeanized  step-mother,  she 
was  now  to  endure  the  persecutions  of  a 
mother-in-law  who  worshipped  antiquated,  re- 
pressing ideas.  What  a  sad  fate ! 

Often  kind  Nami,  out  of  a  sheer  impulse  of 
pity,  offered  her  services  to  the  aging  and  suf- 
fering widow.  But  she  was  never  fortunate 
enough  to  divine  the  exact  wishes  of  her 
mother-in-law,  and  despite  all  her  good  will 

[88] 


THE   MOTHER-IN-LAW 

she  could  never  succeed  in  satisfying  the 
widow's  ever  new  and  strange  desires.  The 
old  woman  would  thank  Nami  ostentatiously 
and  immediately  afterwards  intentionally 
scold  the  servant  with  rebukes  that  the 
daughter-in-law  knew  were  directed  toward 
herself;  all  this  in  so  strong  and  angry  a  voice 
that  poor  Nami  trembled  at  the  sound.  Nami, 
with  her  ten  years'  of  suffering  under  the  sar- 
castic deluge  of  complaints  from  her  step- 
mother !  This  system  of  indirect  attack  lasted 
only  a  few  weeks,  after  which  Nami  herself  was 
chosen  as  the  target.  And  when  Iku,  her  only 
compassionate  friend  in  the  whole  house,  was 
obliged  to  leave,  Nami  saw  clearly  that  she  had 
fallen  back  into  that  dark  corner  in  which  she 
had  lived  in  the  past  and  whence  she  had 
thought  to  have  escaped  forever.  Rarely,  a 
ray  of  sunshine  would  come  to  her,  as  for  in- 
stance, when  she  would  stand  in  her  room  be- 
fore the  picture  of  the  dashing  officer  framed 
gracefully  in  silver.  At  such  times  her  heart 
would  melt  with  tenderness,  she  would  fondle 
the  cherished  portrait,  kiss  it,  and  whisper  soft 
entreaties  in  a  loving  voice  as  if  it  could  hear 
her.  And  as  she  placed  it  back  she  would  sigh, 
"Come  back  soon,  oh,  my  darling!" 

[89] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

For  love  of  him  she  consented  to  drain  the 
bitter  cup,  to  sacrifice  herself  without  protest, 
to  bend  humbly  and  meekly  beneath  the  tyranny 
of  a  mother-in-law! 


[90] 


CHAPTER  VII 
On  His  Cruise 

HONG  KONG,  JULY 
DARLING  NAMI: 

"I  write  you  while  the  thermometer  shows 
99  degrees  Fahrenheit  and  I  am  swimming  in 
perspiration.  By  this  time  you  will  have  read 
the  letter  that  I  posted  to  you  from  the  port  of 
Saseho. 

"Ever  since  we  weighed  anchor,  after  that 
short  stay,  the  weather  was  continually  beauti- 
ful but  infernally  hot,  —  so  much  so,  in  fact, 
that  even  we  sailors  of  the  Empire  of  the 
Rising  Sun  panted  helplessly!  About  a  dozen 
of  our  men,  officers  and  sailors,  were  prostrated 
by  the  heat;  I  am  well,  however,  and  the  walls 
of  the  hospital  don't  know  me  yet.  Only  the 
equatorial  sun  has  had  such  an  effect  on  my 
skin  (which  was  already  dark  enough)  that  I 
don't  know  myself  now.  .  .  .  That's  a  fact.  .  .  . 
Yesterday  I  went  ashore  and  when  I  entered 
the  barber-shop  and  looked  into  the  mirror  I 

[91] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

thought  it  was  somebody  else  there!  One  of 
my  comrades,  the  chief  joker  of  our  set,  advises 
me  to  send  you  a  photograph  from  here.  .  .  . 
You  may  be  sure  I  '11  do  nothing  of  the  sort. 

"Up  to  the  present  our  journey  has  been  un- 
eventful (excepting  the  hard  time  we  had  with 
a  monsoon  we  went  through)  and  yesterday 
morning  we  anchored  here,  and  were  welcomed 
with  joyful  demonstrations,  music,  and  shouts 
of  "Banzai!  Banzai!"1 

"Your  letter  reached  me  at  Saseho.  I've 
read  it  and  re-read  it  a  thousand  times!  I'm 
sorry  to  hear  that  mamma  has  suffered  another 
attack  of  her  rheumatism.  But  it's  a  great 
consolation  to  know  that  you  are  there  at  her 
side;  I  beg  you  with  all  my  heart  to  take  my 
place  beside  her.  When  she  is  ill  it  becomes 
harder  than  ever  to  please  her,  and  I  share  with 
you,  although  only  in  spirit,  all  the  burden  of 
your  pious  duty. 

"I  hope  that  our  relatives  at  Takasaki  are 
all  in  good  health. . .  .  How  is  Uncle  Kato  ?  As 
busy  as  ever,  and  inseparable  from  his  gar- 
deners '  shears  ? . . .  You  write  that  Iku  has  left. 
I  can't  understand  the  reason,  and  it  worries 

1  'Banzai.'       Literally,     "ten     thousand     years."       Corresponds     to 
Hurrah,    Bravo. 

[92] 


ON  HIS  CRUISE 

me.  I  had  taken  a  liking  to  her.  .  .  .  She 's  so 
calm  and  pleasant. ...  I  'm  afraid  you  miss  her 
a  great  deal,  too.  Do  you  ever  see  Aunt  Kato 
and  Chizu-ko-San?" 

"I  learn  that  Chijiwa  visits  the  house  often. 
We  have  few  relatives,  and  he  is  one  of  the 
few.  And  I  know  that  mamma  thinks  highly  of 
him,  so  that  she  likes  to  see  him  received  very 
cordially.  He  is  an  intelligent  and  clever  young 
man,  and  I  am  sure  that  he  could  prove  useful 
to  you  in  some  difficulty. 

Your  loving, 
Takeo. 

P.  S.  Read  the  enclosed  letter  to  mother. 
We'll  remain  here  a  few  more  days  in  order 
to  take  on  provisions,  etc.,  and  then  we'll 
leave  for  Sidney,  via  Manila;  from  there  we'll 
go  to  San  Francisco,  New  Caledonia,  the  Fiji 
Islands,  and  we'll  return  through  Hawaii.  I 
hope  I'll  be  back  by  autumn.  Address  me  at 
San  Francisco,  United  States,  care  of  the 
Japanese  Consul." 


SIDNEY,  AUGUST 
DEAR  NAMI: 

*  *  Last  year,  in  May,  I  was  out  fern-gathering 
at  Ikao,  with  my  sweet  little  Nami-san.  Now  I  'm 

[93] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

at  Sidney,  far,  far  away,  in  the  opposite  hemi- 
sphere. When,  at  evening,  I  linger  to  contem- 
plate the  Southern  Cross,  while  my  thoughts 
are  bewildered  in  the  confusion  of  my  recollec- 
tions, I  feel  how  real  and  sad  is  the  fact  that 
yonder  everything  moves  in  most  rapid  change ! 

"Some  years  ago,  at  the  time  of  my  first  tour 
of  the  world  in  the  schoolship,  I  suffered  much 
from  sea-sickness,  but  this  time,  on  the  con- 
trary, I  feel  very,  very  well.  And  I  also  have  as 
companion  on  this  voyage  a  strange  feeling 
that  I  did  not  experience  at  that  time. . . .  When 
I  stand  on  the  bridge  and  watch  the  dark  south- 
ern sky,  where  the  stars  sparkle  like  countless 
diamonds,  this  feeling  becomes  stronger  than 
ever  and  it  seems  to  me  that  right  before  my 
eyes,  in  the  shadow,  I  can  see  the  profile  of 
your  loving  little  face.  .  .  .  Oh,  don't  laugh  at 
this  illusion  that  always  gives  me  a  foretaste 
of  the  joy  of  seeing  you  once  again ! 

"While  I'm  with  my  mates  I'm  able  to  feign 
indifference,  and  to  sing  with  them,  'What  do 
we  care  for  the  tears  that  are  shed  in  our 
homes,  —  we  whose  souls  are  sated  with  glory?' 
—  Yet  (and  I  ask  you  again  not  to  laugh  at 
my  childishness)  the  picture  of  my  Nami-san 
has  never  left  its  place  next  my  heart. . . .  Even 

[94] 


ON  HIS  CRUISE 

now,  as  I  write  to  you,  I  see  distinctly  the  face 
of  her  who  will  read  this  letter,  in  her  little 
room  shaded  by  the  palm-trees.  .  .  . 

1 '  In  the  bay  at  Sidney  many  sweethearts  and 
young  couples  are  out  on  long  pleasure  trips  in 
their  yachts.  And  I  catch  myself  thinking 
that  if  everything  goes  well,  when  Nami  and 
I  begin  to  grow  old  I'll  buy  a  yacht  of  at  least 
5000  tons.  ...  I'll  be  the  commander  ....  our 
children  will  be  the  sailors  ....  and  we'll  sail 
the  four  seas.  And  we'll  come  to  Sidney,  too, 
and  then  I'll  tell  a  white-haired  Nami  the 
dreams  of  a  young  ensign  who  was  sailing  along 
in  the  self-same  waters  many,  many  years 
before.  ..." 

Your  Takeo, 
Who  loves  you  with  all  his  heart. 


TOKYO 
MY  DEAR  TAKEO: 

"I  read  and  re-read  more  than  a  thousand 
times  the  dear  letter  you  sent  me  from  Hong 
Kong.  I'm  happy  to  learn  that  despite  the 
oppressive  heat  your  health  continues  good. 
Your  mother,  too,  is  better,  and  I  hope  you'll 
feel  more  at  ease  on  that  score. 

"I  spend  these  days  monotonously,  leading 

[95] 


y 

THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

my  customary  life.  I  try  in  every  conceivable 
way  to  satisfy  your  mother,  —  more  than  ever, 
now  that  you  are  so  far  away,  but  I  am  so 
stupid  that  all  my  efforts  are  useless  in  achiev- 
ing the  desired  results.  .  .  .  How  impatiently 
I  await  the  news  of  your  early  return ! 

"The  folks  at  Akasaki  are  all  well,  and  now 
they  are  at  the  baths  in  their  villa  at  Zushi. 
The  Katos  are  also  at  their  place  at  Okitsu, 
and  we  are  left  almost  alone  in  Tokyo.  Iku  is 
well,  and  is  at  present  with  my  parents  at 
Zushi.  I  wrote  to  her,  sending  along  your 
greetings,  and  she  answered,  thanking  me 
warmly  for  your  kindness. 

"I  feel  keenly  now  that  I  never  learned  any- 
thing of  much  importance.  The  direction  of 
household  affairs,  which  I  neglected  very  much 
at  my  own  home,  despite  the  advice  of  my 
father,  now  comes  very  hard  to  me  because  of 
my  inexperience.  I  would  gladly  follow  your 
advice  to  study  English,  but  I  fear  that  your 
mother  would  not  look  kindly  upon  my  remain- 
ing too  long  at  the  writing-desk.  ...  So  that 
these  days  I  devote  myself  exclusively  to  do- 
mestic affairs  and  I  hope  you  will  not  think 
that  I  avoid  studying  through  negligence  and 
without  a  good  reason. 

[96] 


ON   HIS   CRUISE 

"I  am  ashamed  of  myself  to  see  how  sad  and 
lonely  I  feel,  and  to  notice  how  intensely  I  want 
to  see  you  again.  I  dream  that  I  am  a  dove 
and  that  I  am  flying  in  search  of  you.  .  .  .  My 
only  consolation  I  find  in  gazing  at  your  picture 
and  the  picture  of  the  vessel  that  is  carrying 
you  across  the  ocean.  At  school  I  was  never 
very  much  interested  in  geography,  but  today 
my  only  recreation  is  that  of  following  the  route 
of  your  ship  on  an  old  map  that  I  found  among 
my  abandoned  note-books.  At  times  I  think  that 
if  I  were  man  I,  too,  would  become  a  sailor  and 
go  with  you  on  all  your  cruises.  .  .  .  Pity  my 
childish  thoughts  and  pardon  my  telling  them 
to  you.  But  all  my  thoughts  belong  to  you.  I 
never  had  noticed  before  that  the  newspapers 
give  reports  of  the  weather  at  sea,  but  now  I 
follow  that  department  closely,  and  although 
I  know  that  you  are  far  away,  still  I  tremble 
with  uneasiness  when  they  forecast  some  temp- 
est along  the  coast. 

"  Dearest,  I  beg  you  to  take  the  best  possible 
care  of  yourself.  ..." 

Your  loving  wife, 

Nami. 
[97] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

TOKYO,  OCTOBER. 
MY  DARLING  TAKEO  ! 

' 'Every  night  I  behold  you  in  my  dreams, 
and  when  I  awake,  my  desire  to  see  you  once 
again  becomes  stronger  than  ever!  .  .  .  Last 
night  I  dreamed  that  I  was  with  you  on  a  ves- 
sel headed  for  Ikao  for  the  purpose  of  fern- 
gathering.  Suddenly  somebody  came  between 
us,  parted  us  roughly,  and  while  you  receded 
farther  and  farther  from  me,  I  felt,  somehow 
or  other,  that  I  was  falling  into  the  sea.  .  .  . 
From  my  lips  there  came  a  real  cry  of  terror. 
.  .  .  Your  mother  woke  me  up.  It  had  been 
only  a  dream !  But  a  sense  of  anguish  was  left 
within  me,  and  it  cannot  be  driven  out  until 
you  return.  I  have  so  many  things  to  tell  you, 
personally!  Every  day  I  watch  the  sky.  .  .  . 
over  where  you  are. 

"  Perhaps  this  letter  will  find  you  on  the  way 
back. ...  I  am  sending  it  to  Honolulu. ' ' 

Your  wife,  who  loves  you  and  sighs  ever  so 
much  for  your  return, 

Nami. ' ' 


[98] 


Part  II 


CHAPTER  I 
Home  Again 

KEI,  the  widow  of  Kawashima,  mother  of 
Takeo  and  Nami's  mother-in-law,  is 
seated  by  the  fireplace  warming  herself 
near  the  crackling  flames.  Suddenly,  as  the  hour 
sounds  from  the  clock  on  the  wall,  she  turns 
and  exclaims  in  a  loud  voice,  "Eight  o'clock! 
Et  seems  to  me  that  they  should  have  got  back 
by  this  time!"  Then,  shaking  her  head,  she 
grasps  her  snuff-box  with  her  flabby  hand,  in- 
hales a  small  pinch  of  snuff  noisily  and  cocks 
her  ear.  Although  the  house  is  situated  al- 
most on  the  outside  of  the  city,  the  sound  of 
kurumas  rumbling  along  the  pavements  in 
rapid  course  is  heard.  In  the  evenings  of  the 
beginning  of  the  year  great  animation  reigns 
in  the  capital.  From  a  neighboring  house 
comes  wafting  the  happy,  shrill  voices  of  young 
men  and  women  on  vacation,  and  from  time  to 
time  the  echo  of  their  piercing  laughter  reaches 
the  old  woman's  ears.  Then  she  murmurs  im- 
patiently, "I'd  like  to  know  what  they're  so 

[101] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

happy  about!  Pah!"  And  as  her  thoughts 
turn  to  her  son  she  continues,  grumbling,  "It's 
always  that  way  when  they  go  to  Akasaka.  .  .  . 
Everybody  forgets  his  duty.  Takeo  as  well  as 
Nami.  All  of  them!  Alas  for  us  old  people, 
and  the  youth  of  our  day!"  As  she  mutters 
she  tries  to  change  the  position  of  her  limbs, 
tortured  by  her  rheumatism,  and  the  move- 
ment causes  her  a  cry  of  pain.  *  *  Ah ! ' '  Then, 
seized  by  an  attack  of  fury  she  grasps  the 
snuff-box  once  again  and  cries,  impatiently, 
'  'Matsu !  Matsu ! "  At  this  point  two  kurumas 
stop  before  the  door  and  a  servant,  in  a  loud 
voice,  announces  the  return  of  his  master.  The 
old  woman  is  in  the  act  of  reproaching  Matsu 
for  his  delay  when  a  merry  voice  interrupts  her. 

' '  Good  evening,  mamma ! ' ' 

Takeo  comes  in,  taking  off  his  gloves,  and 
behind  him  walks  Nami,  noiselessly.  She  re- 
moves her  cloak,  which  is  carefully  received  by 
a  maid,  and  then  she  approaches  her  mother- 
in-law,  saying  kindly,  "Good  evening,  mamma. 
I'm  sorry  that  we  are  a  little  late." 

"Ah!  Here  you  are  back  again !  You  really 
were  out  a  long  time ! ' ' 

"That's  so,  mamma,"  replies  Takeo  in  a 
conciliating  tone."  First  we  visited  the  Katos, 

[102] 


HOME  AGAIN 

and  they  wanted  to  go  along  with  us  to  Akasaka. 
Uncle,  aunt,  Chizu-ko-san,  Nami  and  I,  —  the 
five  of  us  were  greeted  at  Akasaka  in  most 
festive  style.  There  were  a  great  many  other 
guests  there,  too,  and  the  time  passed  so  quickly 
that  I  never  noticed  how  late  it  had  become." 

As  he  felt  his  cheeks  grow  very  warm,  — 
his  face  had  taken  on  a  color  redder  than  usual, 
— Takeo  observed,  half  to  himself,  sipping 
a  cup  of  tea  slowly,  "I  drank  so  much  on  the 
visit  that  I'm  afraid  I'm  a  little  tipsy." 

"Are  they  all  well  at  Akasaka?"  asked 
Madame  Kawashima. 

"Yes,  all  well.  They  asked  me  to  give  you 
their  best  regards,  and  to  forgive  them  for  not 
yet  having  come  to  visit  you.  They  thank  you 
very  much  for  the  presents  you  sent." 

"And  speaking  of  presents,  Nami-san,"  ex- 
claimed Takeo,  interrupting  her,  "where  did  I 
put  that?  Ah,  here  it  is,"  and  from  Nami's 
hands  he  took  the  tray  she  handed  him,  which 
contained  pheasants,  several  quail  and  some 
woodcocks. 

1 '  Oh,  some  game.  .  .  .  and  how  much ! ' ' 

"Mamma,  the  general  was  very  lucky  in  his 
recent  hunt;  he  came  back  only  on  the  evening 
of  the  thirty-first.  They  were  about  to  send 

[103] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

us  some  fine  birds.  Tomorrow  we  expect  a 
boar." 

"A  boar,  too?  Is  it  possible?  Nami,  your 
father  is  only  three  years  younger  than  I,  isn't 
he?  As  a  young  man  he  was  very  agile  and 
lively.  It  seems  that  he  still  is." 

"Why,  ma,  just  imagine  what  a  robust  fel- 
low he  is !  He  spent  three  nights  on  the  moun- 
tain and  he  doesn't  feel  the  slightest  effects. 
He  is  proud  that  he  can  vie  with  the  youngsters 
on  all  their  trips." 

"I  should  think  so,  and  he's  right!  When 
rheumatism  gets  hold  of  us  then  we're  no 
longer  good  for  anything.  The  worst  enemy  of 
mankind  is  illness.  It's  almost  nine.  You'd  do 
well  to  change  your  clothes  and  go  to  bed.  .  .  . 
Ah,  Takeo,  I  forgot  to  tell  you  that  yesterday 
Yasuhiko  was  here." 

Takeo,  who  was  on  the  point  of  leaving, 
stopped  short;  his  countenance  assumed  an  ex- 
pression of  dissatisfaction.  Nami,  too,  came 
near  to  hear. 

"What's  that?    Chijiwa  was  here?" 

"Yes,  and  it  seems  he  had  some  special  busi- 
ness with  you,  Takeo." 

After  a  long  pause  Takeo  said,  "And  I  have 

[104] 


HOME  AGAIN 

some  special  business  with  him,  too.  Do  you 
believe  he  came  for  money,  mamma?" 

"Why!  But  no.  ...  do  you  think?  How  can 
you  think  such  a  thing?" 

"I  heard  a  few  things  about  him  while  we 
were  out  visiting.  .  .  .  All  right.  I'll  try  to 
see  him  soon." 

"Yamaki  was  here,  too." 

"That  lunatic  Yamaki!" 

' '  He  came  to  invite  us  to  the  dinner  he 's  giv- 
ing on  the  10th  of  Jannuary." 

"What  a  bore!" 

"You'd  do  well  to  accept  the  invitation.  He 
has  never  forgotten  the  favors  that  your  father 
once  did  for  him." 

"But  — " 

"Takeo,  it  will  be  better  for  you  not  to 
refuse." 

*  *  Very  well.  We  '11  think  it  over But  now 

I  'm  going  to  bed.  Good  night. ' ' 

And  after  him  Nami  said,  in  a  soft  voice, 
"Good  night,  mamma,"  as  she  timidly  drew 
near  to  her  mother-in-law,  whose  countenance 
had  now  become  sinister. 

The  husband  and  wife  entered  their  room, 
where  Nami  helped  Takeo  to  don  a  garment  of 
padded  silk,  around  which  he  rapidly  tied  a 

[105] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

white  crape  girdle.  He  sat  down  in  an  easy- 
chair  while  Nami  brushed  the  clothes  he  had 
just  removed  and  placed  them  in  a  closet. 
When  she  had  finished  doing  this  she  sat  down 
beside  her  husband. 

"You  must  be  tired,  darling." 

"Takeo,  who  was  looking  over  the  visiting 
cards  that  had  been  left  during  the  day,  raised 
his  glance  and  said,  "It's  you,  Nami-san,  who 
must  be  tired.  .  .  .  You  beautiful  dear,  you! 
Charming  creature!" 

"What!" 

"You  ...  I  say  that  you're  a  delicious  little 
wife. '  ' 

' '  Now,  now.    Don 't  make  me  blush ! ' ' 

As  she  said  these  words  she  blushed  in 
earnest,  and  removed  her  face  from  the  rays 
of  the  lamp  that  illuminated  her  cheeks,  which 
were  usually  pale.  .  .  .  The  little  face,  framed 
in  the  artistic  head-dress,  looked  as  beautiful 
and  as  finely  chiselled  as  a  work  of  art.  She 
wore  a  kimono  of  black  silk  embroidered  with 
sea  waves  and  gulls  whose  wings  were  spread 
wide  apart,  and  a  large  ribbon  of  yellow  satin 
was  tied  about  her  waist,  while  on  her  bosom 
sparkled  a  precious  jewel  fashioned  like  a  for- 
[106] 


HOME  AGAIN 

get-me-not.  .  .  .  This  was  the  souvenir  that 
Takeo  had  lately  brought  her  from  America. 

Takeo,  as  he  looked  upon  her  there  in  the 
light  of  the  lamp,  with  her  smile  upon  her  lips, 
felt  himself  under  the  spell  of  his  wife's  noble 
beauty  and  it  seemed  that  he  had  never  beheld 
her  so  fascinating. 

*  *  Nami,  it  seems  to  me,  as  I  look  upon  you 
dressed  as  you  now  are,  in  clothes  I've  never 
seen  you  wear  before,  that  you've  changed  into 
another  woman,  —  a  woman  I  never  knew." 

'  *  If  you  keep  on  talking  like  that  I  '11  have  to 
run  away." 

Takeo  laughed  happily. 

' '  Then  I  won 't  say  anything  more.  And  why 
will  you  have  to  run  away?" 

And  Nami,  with  a  sweet  smile  and  a  coquet- 
tish glance,  replied,  " —  To  change  my  dress!" 

•W  :;v    B-«f...:- 

| 

Takeo  had  departed  at  the  beginning  of  sum- 
mer, for  the  maneuvers,  hoping  to  return 
in  the  autumn.  But  he  had  been  detained  for 
a  long  time  at  San  Francisco,  pending  repairs 
to  his  vessel,  so  that  by  the  time  he  reached 
home  it  was  near  the  end  of  the  year.  Now, 
on  the  third  day  of  January,  he  had  gone  with 

[107] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

his  wife  to  make  his  first  visits  to  the  Katos 
and  the  Kataokas. 

Takeo's  mother,  a  woman  of  very  old-fash- 
ioned tastes,  cared  very  little  to  surround  her- 
self with  modern  nick-nacks;  yet  her  affection 
for  her  son  led  her  to  make  several  concessions 
to  his  desires,  and  Takeo  's  room  was  artistically 
decorated  with  Japanese  and  foreign  objects 
placed  on  the  furniture  and  in  the  corners  of 
the  room.  The  white  mats  of  the  floor  were 
covered  with  a  fine,  bright  green  carpet ;  on  the 
walls  of  the  alcove  hung  a  most  attractive 
marine  painting;  higher  up,  opposite  this, 
was  a  picture  of  Takeo's  father.  On  another 
side  of  the  room  was  a  bookcase  full  of  books, 
and  several  shelves.  In  the  center  of  the 
alcove,  on  the  back  wall,  hung  a  sword  from  the 
famous  factory  of  Kanemitsu,  the  favorite 
weapon  of  Baron  Kawashima.  On  a  bracket 
hung  an  officer's  cap  and  a  field-glass;  on  one 
of  the  door-posts  of  the  room  was  suspended  a 
dagger.  Of  the  photographs  on  the  walls  one 
represented  the  vessel  on  which  he  had  made 
his  latest  journey;  another  showed  a  group  of 
young  men  in  uniform:  his  classmates  of  the 
Etajima  naval  academy.  Other  photographs 
were  scattered  about  the  table  and  among  them 

[108] 


HOME  AGAIN 

was  one  showing  Takeo,  as  a  baby,  with  his 
parents;  in  this  one  Takeo  was  sitting  on  his 
father's  knees.  Another  picture  represented 
General  Kataoka.  Although  Takeo  was  of  a 
very  careless  disposition,  the  room  was  in  the 
best  of  order.  Not  a  speck  of  dust  could  be 
seen,  and  on  the  table,  in  a  vase  of  antique 
bronze,  were  several  plum  blossoms,  tastily  ar- 
ranged. All  this  revealed  a  kind  and  provi- 
dent fairy  hand  into  whose  charge  the  direc- 
tion of  the  room  was  given.  The  little  woman 
who  possessed  this  heart  and  these  fairy  fingers 
smiled  from  an  oval  silver  frame  beside  the 
vase  of  flowers,  and  seemed  to  be  dreaming, 
afloat  in  the  perfume  that  was  exhaled  from 
the  gracefully  intertwined  blossoms.  The  lamp 
shed  its  rays  of  white  light  all  through  the 
room,  and  upon  the  bright  green  of  the  carpet 
the  flames  from  the  cosy  fireplace  threw  show- 
ers of  fiery  red  gleams. 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  moments  in  life 
—  one  of  those  moments  in  which  the  heart 
feels  penetrated  and  eased  by  a  sense  of  great 
comfort  and  complete  peace,  is  certainly  that 
which  follows  the  return  from  a  long,  perilous 
voyage,  —  when,  having  changed  our  traveling 
clothes  for  a  snug  kimono,  we  may  sit  at  ease 

[109] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

beside  the  domestic  hearth  listening  to  the 
whistling  of  the  wind  and  the  gentle,  monoton- 
ous tick-tock  of  the  clock.  And  what  a  sense 
of  completeness  is  imparted  to  that  happiness 
by  the  thought  that  upon  our  return  we  have 
found  mother  in  good  health  and  are  surrounded 
by  the  love  of  a  young  and  affectionate  wife 
who  has  been  waiting  for  us  with  a  trembling 
heart ! 

Takeo  was  smoking,  rocking  in  his  easy- 
chair,  imbibing  all  the  sweetness  of  this  do- 
mestic peace.  One  thought  alone  disturbed 
him,  —  that  of  Chijiwa,  —  of  whom  his  mother 
had  spoken  but  a  moment  before  and  who  was 
now  recalled  by  a  visiting  card  found  upon  the 
table.  It  was  not  so  many  hours  previous  to 
this  that  the  echo  of  some  not  very  pleasant 
things  had  reached  Takeo 's  ear.  .  .  .  Several 
days  before  a  card  addressed  to  Chijiwa,  who 
was  then  away,  had  been  forwarded  to  the  seat 
of  the  General  Staff,  and  an  official  who  by  mis- 
take cast  his  eye  upon  it  read  a  demand  for 
payment  from  a  certain  money-lender  who  had, 
perhaps,  intentionally,  written  the  amount  of 
the  debt  in  red  ink.  Besides  this,  it  had  been 
discovered  that  certain  military  secrets  had 

[110] 


HOME  AGAIN 

leaked  out  in  mysterious  fashion,  and  had  been 
utilized  by  clever  speculators. 

Chijiwa  had  been  seen  upon  the  stock  ex- 
change by  several  persons,  to  whom  it  had 
seemed  that  such  a  place  was  hardly  the  kind 
for  a  young  officer  to  frequent.  As  a  conse- 
quence of  these  various  indications  Chijiwa 
had  fallen  under  suspicion,  and  because  Takeo  's 
father-in-law  had  been  apprised  of  everything 
by  the  chief  of  the  staff,  who  was  a  friend  of 
his,  the  father-in-law  had  advised  Takeo  to 
keep  an  eye  on  his  cousin,  and  to  exhort  him  to 
follow  a  different  road. 

"The  scoundrel!" 

Takeo  said  this  aloud,  as  his  gaze  rested 
upon  Chijiwa 's  card.  But  on  that  particular 
night  he  was  hardly  in  the  mood  to  remain 
preoccupied  with  unpleasant  thoughts;  indeed, 
after  having  decided  to  have  a  serious  talk 
with  his  cousin  at  the  first  opportunity,  and 
then  see  what  was  to  be  done,  Takeo  directed 
his  meditations  to  more  inviting  subjects,  while 
Nami  entered  with  a  cup  of  tea  that  she  had 
prepared  in  the  meantime. 

"Black  tea?    Oh,  thanks,  Nami!" 

As  he  spoke  he  left  the  easy-chair  and  sat 
down  beside  the  fireplace. 

[Ill] 


THE    HEART    OP    NAMI-SAN 

"What's  mamma  doing  now?" 

"She  just  went  to  bed." 

Nami  looked  at  Takeo's  red  countenance, 
while  he  sipped  his  tea  slowly. 

"Have  you  a  headache,  perhaps,  dear! 
Maybe  you  've  drunk  too  much  sake.  My  mother 
insisted  so  much." 

"No,  no,  not  at  all.  I  feel  very  well.  What 
happy  hours  we  spent,  didn't  we?  I  was  so 
interested  in  your  father's  conversation  that  I 
didn't  notice  the  number  of  goblets  I  emptied," 
replied  Takeo,  laughingly.  "You  really  have 
a  most  likeable  father,  Nami." 

And  Nami,  smiling  at  him  affectionately,  ans- 
wered, "And  Pve  also  a  most  excellent.  ..." 

"A  most  excellent  what?  What  were  you 
about  to  say?"  urged  Takeo  encouragingly, 
opening  his  eyes  wide  with  expectation. 

"I  don't  know,"  responded  Nami,  blushing 
and  lowering  her  eyes  to  the  ring  with  which 
she  was  playing. 

"Eeally!  Where  did  you  ever  learn  how  to 
say  such  nice  things!  In  truth  the  jewel  I 
brought  you  is  hardly  the  kind  to  make  me 
worthy  of  them,  I  assure  you." 

Nami  rubbed  her  cheeks  very  gently  with  her 
hands,  which  she  had  been  warming  at  the 

[112] 


HOME  AGAIN 

fireplace,  and  after  several  moments  of  silence, 
in  which  only  her  long,  sad  sigh  was  heard,  she 
resumed,  * '  Mamma  must  feel  quite  abandoned ! 
....  When  I  think  that  in  a  short  while  you'll 
be  leaving  us  on  another  trip  it  seems  that  time 
flies  altogether  too  fast  now.  ..." 

"But  if  I  were  to  be  at  home  all  the  time 
you  'd  say  to  me,  at  least  every  other  day,  *  Dear 
Takeo,  don't  you  think  it  would  do  you  good 
to  go  out  for  a  walk?'  Isn't  that  so,  Nami?" 

"How  can  you  say  such  things?  How  can 
you  even  think  them?  Will  you  have  another 
cup  of  tea?" 

Takeo  took  another  sip  and  then,  flicking  the 
ashes  of  his  cigarette,  cast  a  long  look  of  satis- 
faction about  him. 

"After  having  slept  in  a  bunk  for  more  than 
six  months  my  room  seems  enormous  to  me,  and 
everything  looks  too  luxurious  and  too  beauti- 
ful. .  .  .  And  then.  .  .  it  seems  that  this  is  my 
second  honeymoon.  Doesn't  it  seem  that  way 
to  you,  too,  Nami-san?" 

Indeed,  after  a  separation  of  many  months 
shortly  after  their  marriage,  they  had  met 
again  with  unspeakable  joy,  to  live  over  once 
more,  from  hour  to  hour,  the  happiest  period 
of  their  past. 

[113] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Little  by  little  their  words  sank  to  a  whisper. 
Then  this,  too,  died  away  without  any  desire 
on  the  part  of  the  couple  to  break  the  silence 
that  enfolded  them.  But  their  glances  met  and 
their  lips  were  half  open,  in  an  ecstatic  smile. 
The  sweet  perfume  of  the  plum  blossoms  filled 
the  room. 

All  at  once  Nami  raised  her  head  as  if  struck 
by  a  sudden  thought. 

"Then,  —  Takeo,  —  you'll  really  go  to  Ya- 
maki's  dinner?" 

"Oh,  to  Yamaki?  My  mother  desires  it  so 
much  that  I  suppose  I  '11  have  to  give  in. ' ' 

"I  should  like  to  go  with  you." 

"Why  not?    Excellent!    We '11  go  together !" 

"But,  no.    I  prefer  to  remain  at  home." 

"Why?" 

"Because  I'm  afraid." 

"Afraid?    Of  what?" 

"They  hate  me,  and.  ..." 

"Hate  you?  And  who  in  the  world  could 
hate  my  Nami-san?" 

"But  there  is  one  who  hates  me.  Need  I  tell 
it  to  you?  It's  0-Toyo-san." 

"What  an  idea!  Such  a  silly  girl!  I  don't 
believe  anybody  will  ever  marry  her ! ' ' 

"Mamma  says  that  Chijiwa  is  on  very  in- 

[114] 


HOME  AGAIN 

timate   terms   with  the   Yamaki  family.     He 
might  marry  her." 

Chijiwa?  Chijiwa?  That  wretch?  I  knew 
that  he  was  a  very  wily  fellow,  but  I  never 
thought  that  he  would  deserve  suspicion  of 
dishonorable  actions.  I'm  almost  ashamed  of 
today's  officers,  although  I'm  one  of  them. 
There  isn't  even  a  shadow  of  the  old  cavalierly 
spirit,  and  their  first  thought  is  to  get  rich. 
Of  course,  I  don't  insist  that  the  officers  should 
love  poverty.  Everybody  has  the  right  to  forge 
his  way  upward  and  to  keep  the  welfare  of  his 
family  and  himself  in  mind.  But  I  believe  that 
men  whose  sole  duty  is  to  see  to  the  defense  of 
their  country  should  take  care  not  to  become 
mixed  up  in  speculations;  least  of  all  when  it 
leads  them  to  dishonest  deeds,  such  as  borrow- 
ing money  at  usurer 's  interest,  or  getting  com- 
missions on  army  supplies,  or  favoring  specu- 
lators by  revealing  military  secrets.  And  the 
ones  that  exasperate  me  most  are  the  gamblers. 
How  many  of  my  comrades  are  ruined  by  this 
vice !  It  pains  me  extremely.  They  break  their 
backs  bowing  in  humble  flattery  before  their 
superiors,  and  then  turn  around  and  rob  their 
subordinates.  I  have  seen  it  with  my  own 
eyes." 

[115] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

The  young  ensign,  however  inexperienced  and 
honest  he  was,  had  learned  the  dangers  of 
evil  habits  and  attacked  his  colleagues  ardently, 
speaking  with  deep  earnestness,  as  if  there  sat 
before  him  one  of  the  most  culpable  of  them, 
instead  of  the  gentle  Nami,  who  listened  to  his 
outburst  with  a  smile  of  satisfaction  and  love, 
proud  of  the  words  of  just  scorn  that  fell  from 
the  lips  of  her  brave  husband.  In  her  ingenu- 
ousness she  beheld  him  already  the  Minister 
of  the  Marine  or  at  least  a  Chief  Admiral,  or 
on  the  way  to  effecting  a  sane,  radical  reform 
in  the  entire  defensive  forces  of  Japan. 

"I  believe  you're  right,  Takeo.  I  don't  un- 
derstand these  matters  very  well,  but  I  re- 
member when  papa  was  minister  he  used  to 
receive  a  large  number  of  gifts  from  many 
sources,  accompanied  at  the  same  time  by  count- 
less prayers  and  requests.  Papa  abhorred 
that  system  and  used  to  reply  that  the  worthy 
projects  would  be  carried  out  even  without 
presents,  and  that  the  unjust  proposals  would 
not  be  effected  for  ten  thousand  times  as  many 
gifts.  Despite  this,  however,  persons  sought 
any  pretext  whatsoever  to  send  him  presents, 
so  that  papa  used  to  say,  laughing,  'No,  I'm 

[116] 


HOME  AGAIN 

not  at  all  surprised  that  people  chase  so  much 
after  government  positions. ' 

' '  It 's  true.  The  navy  and  the  army  certainly 
pay,  in  this  respect.  Money  is  everything  and 
does  everything!" 

Takeo  looked  at  the  clock,  which  was  then 
sounding  the  hour,  and  exclaimed,  "What? 
Already  ten?" 

"Ten?    How  time  flies!" 


[117] 


CHAPTER  II 
The  Reception  at  Yamaki's 

THE  estate  of  Hyozo  Yamaki  at  Shiba 
was  not  very  large,  yet,  from  Sakuragawa 
street  it  extended  to  the  foot  of  Nishino- 
kobudo  hill.  A  lake  in  the  park,  surrounded  by 
large  rocks,  imparted  an  almost  sylvan  aspect 
to  the  scene ;  numerous  paths  wound  in  and  out 
among  the  hills  and  meadows;  narrow  bridges 
crossed  the  lake  at  the  points  where  its 
banks  were  nearest  together.  Maples,  pines, 
cherry  trees  and  clumps  of  bamboo  grew  in 
profusion;  in  their  midst  rose,  in  sharp  con- 
trast, a  high  stone  lamp-post  and  the  cupola  of 
a  little  temple  to  Inari,1  covered  with  fantastic 
arabesques.  In  the  furthermost  corner  of  the 
garden  was  hidden  an  arbor,  as  if  to  surprise 
the  stranger  who  explored  the  verdant  spot. 
It  seemed  strange  indeed  that  so  beautiful  and 
luxuriant  a  park  should  be  encircled  by  the 
walls  of  an  estate  that  looked  so  modest  from 

1  'Inari.'  The  goddess  of  rice.  Temples  to  Inari  are  very  numerous 
and  are  guarded  by  two  stone  foxes,  whence  the  popular  belief 
that  the  fox  is  the  god  of  rice. 

[118] 


THE  RECEPTION  AT  YAMAKI'S 

without.  But  upon  this  ground  Yamaki  liked 
to  build  the  castles  of  his  fancy,  not  only  in  the 
metaphorical  sense,  but  also  in  that  practical 
one  which  requires  pillars  of  real  gold — how- 
ever they  may  have  been  acquired. 

It  was  a  little  after  four  in  the  afternoon,  and 
already  there  could  be  heard,  now  near,  now 
far  off,  the  evening  cawing  of  the  crows.  A 
man  in  complete  native  costume  came  out  into 
the  garden  in  order  to  escape  from  the  noise 
in  the  hall  and  took  the  path  leading  up  a  little 
hill  illuminated  by  the  rays  of  the  dying  sun. 

It  was  Takeo,  who,  having  yielded  to  his 
mother's  urging,  had  accepted  Yamaki 's  in- 
vitation and  now  found  himself  tired  and  dis- 
gusted with  the  festivities  among  noisy  stran- 
gers to  whom  he  had  to  speak  and  be  polite, 
although  they  were  as  meaningless  to  him  as 
the  sake  that  he  was  forced  to  drink  in  order 
to  be  obliging. 

Yamaki,  with  foresight,  had  ordered  numer- 
ous diversions,  arranged  for  various  hours 
with  the  purpose  of  entertaining  his  guests 
without  interruption.  Among  the  latter  attrac- 
tions was  a  chorus  of  dancers,  which  was  to 
serve  as  prelude  to  a  wild  orgy  to  be  joined  in 
by  all.  For  some  time  Takeo  had  been  trying 

[119] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

to  take  his  leave,  for  all  this  vulgarity  was 
abhorrent  to  him,  but  Yamaki,  with  his  im- 
portunate insistence,  had  constrained  him  to 
remain  till  the  end.  Moreover,  Chijiwa  had 
not  yet  appeared,  and  Takeo  felt  more  than 
ever  the  need  of  a  serious  talk  with  that  fellow. 
Scarcely  had  he  been  able  to  escape  without 
being  noticed  than  he  descended  into  the  garden 
to  cool  his  burning  face  with  the  fresh  air. 

Several  days  after  the  confidences  imparted 
by  his  father-in-law  in  regard  to  Chijiwa,  Takeo 
had  received  a  visit  from  a  stranger  who 
carried  an  allegator-satchel  in  his  hand,  and 
demanded  the  payment  of  3000  yen  due  on 
a  note  signed  by  Yasuhiko  Chijiwa  and  indorsed 
by  the  name  of  Takeo  Kawashima.  Under  the 
lines  purporting  to  be  the  signature  of  Takeo 
appeared  Takeo 's  seal,  which  he  regularly  af- 
fixed in  all  transactions  of  this  nature.  The 
stranger  said  that  although  the  note  had  fallen 
due  many  days  before,  the  debtor  had  not  only 
avoided  all  meetings,  but  had  suddenly  disap- 
peared altogether,  so  that  despite  himself  the 
lender  was  forced  to  have  recourse  to  the  in- 
dorser  for  payment.  The  note  was  in  regular 
form,  the  signature  looked  authentic,  and  the 
letter  that  the  stranger  brought  with  him  was 

[120] 


THE   RECEPTION  AT  YAMAKI'S 

undoubtedly  in  Chijiwa's  handwriting.  Sur- 
prised at  this  queer  occurrence  Takeo  wanted 
to  clarify  the  whole  matter  and  he  reasoned 
that  neither  the  steward  Tazaki  nor  his  mother 
knew  about  the  affair  and  that  neither  had 
authorized  Chijiwa  to  use  Takeo 's  seal.  When 
to  these  things  he  added  the  rumors  that  were 
circulating  about  Chijiwa,  he  readily  realized 
the  sad  truth  which  this  latest  fact  served  to 
confirm.  As  a  result  he  had  tried  to  search 
out  his  cousin  on  that  very  day,  but  he  had 
been  unsuccessful.  However,  he  received  a  let- 
ter from  Chijiwa  saying  that  the  writer  desired 
to  speak  with  him  next  day,  when  he  would 
meet  him  at  Yamaki's  house. 

Takeo  intended  to  speak  very  openly  to 
Chijiwa  about  the  matters  that  had  come  to 
light,  and  to  tell  him  concisely  and  categor- 
ically just  what  he  thought  of  such  actions,  and 
then  turn  his  back  upon  him  for  good. 

Chijiwa  was  very  late. 

Takeo  slowly  climbed  the  path  that  led  to 
the  top  of  the  hill  between  two  hedges  of  thick 
bamboo ;  his  face  wore  a  look  of  weariness  and 
ill-repressed  scorn.  The  arbor,  half  hidden 
by  a  thick  growth  of  ivy,  was  open  before  him ; 
he  entered  and  sat  down  to  rest  himself  in  that 

[121] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

deep  silence.  After  a  few  moments  he  heard 
the  rapid  tapping  of  light  footsteps  and  sud- 
denly saw  before  him  the  form  of  0-Toyo.  Her 
hair  was  gathered  in  a  high  shimada  and 
she  wore  an  ample  violet  gown  of  flowery 
design.  She  drew  herself  to  full  height  proudly 
before  Takeo,  unmindful  of  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  costly  elegance  of  her  dress  and  the 
coarseness  of  her  behavior.  She  wrinkled  the 
narrow  arch  of  her  eyebrows  and  exclaimed 
in  an  ironic  tone,  "So  here  you  are." 

Takeo,  who  had  never  moved  an  eyelash 
at  the  discharge  of  a  30  centimeter  gun, 
shuddered  at  this  violent  and  unexpected  at- 
tack, and  desiring  to  avoid  all  discussion,  with- 
out further  ado  he  turned  his  shoulder  and  was 
about  to  walk  off.  The  girl,  now  roused  to  a 
high  pitch  of  excitement,  followed  him. 

"Takeo-san!" 

"What  does  this  mean?" 

"My  father  wants  me  to  show  you  our 
gardens." 

"You  ....  show  me?  Oh,  I  don't  want  to 
trouble  anybody. " 

"But.  .  .  ." 

"Please  leave  me  to  myself.  ...  I  prefer  it." 

A  rebuff  expressed  so  baldly  would  have  dis- 

[122] 


THE   RECEPTION  AT  YAMAKI'S 

concerted  the  most  wily  seductress,  but  0-Toyo 
was  determined  not  to  let  him  escape  at  any 
cost. 

"I  can't  understand  why  you  should  flee 
from  me." 

Takeo  was  silent  for  several  moments. 

Ten  years  before  when  Baron  Kawashima 
was  prefect  and  Yamaki  was  an  employe  in 
service,  Takeo  had  often  met  little  0-Toyo  and 
amused  himself  by  pinching  her  and  teasing  her 
in  all  the  other  ways  employed  by  youngsters 
with  little  girls.  Often  he  made  her  cry,  with- 
out liking  any  the  less  the  little  companion  of 
his  childhood  games.  0-Toyo  had  never  ceased 
to  cherish  in  her  heart  a  deep  feeling  of  affec- 
tion for  the  mischievous  boy  who  had  grown 
to  manhood  and  now  bore  the  title  of  Baron 
Kawashima.  Naive  and  bluff  as  he  was,  Takeo 
had  none  the  less  divined  the  feelings  of  the 
girl  and  was  careful  to  avoid  her  during  his 
brief  and  rare  visits  to  Yamaki 's  home.  To- 
day, however,  he  had  been  taken  by  surprise 
and  had  fallen  into  her  trap. 

' '  Flee  from  you  ?  Certainly  I  have  no  reason 
to  flee  from  you.  I  go  wherever  I  please. 
That 's  all." 

"You're  very  arrogant  1" 

[123] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Takeo  began  to  feel  the  ridiculousness  of  the 
situation  and  in  his  confusion  he  tried  once 
more  to  dash  off.  But  to  no  avail.  In  that  hid- 
den nook  of  the  garden  he  was  at  the  mercy  of 
his  pertinacious  pursuer. 

Unfortunately  not  a  person  happened  to  come 
that  way  to  relieve  him  of  his  difficulty.  It  was 
just  like  a  scene  from  The  New  Day,  as  played 
by  Takagawa. 

Suddenly  an  idea  occurred  to  him. 

"Hasn't  Chijiwa  come  yet?  0-Toyo-san, 
please  see  whether  he  has  yet  arrived." 

"Chijiwa  will  not  come  until  nightfall." 

"Does  he  often  visit  your  house?" 

"Yes.  Yesterday  he  was  here  and  remained 
a  long  time,  talking  with  my  father." 

"Really?  But  he  may  have  come  by  now. 
Please  go  and  find  out." 

"No,  I  don't  care  to  go." 

"And  why  not?" 

"Because  you're  trying  to  elude  me.  Even 
if  you  have  no  sympathy  for  me,  and  even  if 
you  think  Nami-san  very  beautiful,  it's  cruel 
of  you  just  the  same  to  repulse  me  in  this 
manner." 

Takeo  had  no  desire  to  begin  a  discussion 
with  the  girl  and  once  more  tried  to  make  off. 

[124] 


THE   RECEPTION  AT  YAMAKI'S 

Fortunately  a  voice  was  heard  calling  the  name 
of  O-Toyo,  and  a  servant  girl  approached  with 
word  for  her  mistress.  Meanwhile  the  young 
man  walked  rapidly  behind  a  clump  of  bamboo 
and  breathing  with  relief  he  turned  quickly 
toward  the  house,  the  walls  of  which  would 
protect  him  from  a  second  assault. 

The  sun  had  set.  The  guests  had  dispersed 
and  the  only  noise  came  now  from  the  kitchen. 

Yamaki,  after  having  cast  off  the  heaviest 
part  of  his  clothes,  staggered,  snuff-box  in 
hand,  toward  the  little  room  where  Takeo  and 
Chijiwa  were  awaiting  him.  His  red  forehead, 
covered  with  beads  of  perspiration,  shone  with 
the  reflection  of  the  light  from  the  lamp. 

1  'Have  I  kept  you  waiting,  gentlemen  I  I  feel 
so  happy  when  I'm  surrounded  by  a  jovial, 
lively  company. ' '  He  laughed  a  little,  then  re- 
sumed, "See  here,  Baron,  you're  not  drinking 
at  all.  You'll  never  make  a  perfect  sailor! 
Your  father  could  empty  bottle  after  bottle. 
I  myself,  although  I'm  getting  old,  still  remain 
Hyozo  Yamaki  who  can  put  down  half  a  gallon 
or  more. ..." 

Chijiwa  enveloped  Yamaki  in  the  sinister 
look  of  his  jet  black  eyes. 

[125] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

"You're  in  good  humor,  Yamaki-san.  I  sup- 
pose you  've  made  money  by  the  shovels-full. ' ' 

"Indeed.  Sure.  Since  we're  on  that  sub- 
ject. ..."  His  words  died  out  in  a  confused 
babble,  while  he  tried  several  times  to  light 
the  pipe  between  his  teeth.  When  at  last  he 
had  succeeded,  and  could  blow  out  the  smoke 
in  large  circles,  he  resumed  his  discourse. 

"That  —  you  know  what  I  mean  —  is  now 
on  the  market.  I  received  a  secret  tip.  It 
seems  they're  in  deep  water  and  they'll  have 
to  make  a  good  contract  on  advantageous  con- 
ditions and  at  low  prices.  The  matter  promises 
well  and  will  produce  even  better  results  now 
that  foreigners  are  permitted  to  reside  in  the 
interior.  Perhaps  the  Baron  would  like  to  in- 
vest a  twenty  or  thirty  thousand  yen?  .  .  .  Oh, 
of  course,  in  the  name  of  Tazaki-kun.  I  'm  pos- 
itive that  you'll  clean  up  a  fortune.  ..." 

The  drunken  man's  tongue  was  now  running 
at  a  gallop.  Chijiwa  eyed  Takeo  intently. 
Nami's  husband  was  seated  opposite  him,  with 
a  calm,  inscrutable  countenance.  Then  Chijiwa 
asked,  "Those  people  ....  of  Awomono  street. 
. . .  Isn't  that  so!  Didn't  they  clean  up  a  tidy 
bit  of  money  some  time  ago  ? ' ' 

"Yes,  but  they  ruined  themselves  by  running 

[126] 


THE  RECEPTION  AT  YAMAKFS 

the  thing  wrong.  If  the  deal  is  put  through 
cleverly  ....  there's  a  gold  mine  in  it  I" 

"What  a  wonderful  opportunity!  And  what 
a  shame  that  I'm  only  a  poor  devil  without  a 
yen  to  my  name!  But  you,  Takeo-san, — you'd 
do  wisely  not  to  let  this  opportunity  slip  from 
between  your  fingers!  If  you'd  just  give  me 
a  lift—" 

Takeo  had  not  yet  spoken  a  word,  only  his 
eyebrows  had  contracted  with  displeasure,  and 
the  wrinkles  of  his  forehead  became  deeper 
when,  throwing  a  proud  look  at  both  men,  he 
began  to  speak.  "I  thank  you  for  your  kind- 
ness. But  I  think  it's  useless  to  try  and  make 
money  for  a  fellow  like  me,  who  never  knows 
when  he 's  going  to  be  thrown  to  feed  the  fishes 
or  chosen  as  target  for  the  enemy's  shells.  I 
beg  you  to  excuse  me,  but  I'd  far  rather  give 
thirty  thousand  yen  (if  I  had  the  money)  to  the 
National  School  for  Sailors,  than  invest  it  in 
speculations  of  the  sort  you  mention." 

Chijiwa,  who  had  not  ceased  studying  the 
expression  on  Takeo 's  face  while  the  latter 
was  talking,  motioned  to  Yamaki,  saying,  "Ya- 
maki-san,  don't  think  me  selfish  if  I  ask 
you  to  delay  the  transaction  of  this  deal  until 
I've  completed  the  affair  that's  on  my  mind. 

[127] 


THE   HEART   OP   NAMI-SAN 

Baron  Kawashima  has  been  kind  enough  to 
condescend  to  my  desire,  and  I  hope  that  you, 
too,  will  do  what  I  request.  Have  you  your 
seal  with  you,  Yamaki-san  ? "  Meanwhile 
he  brought  forth  a  promissory  note  and  handed 
it  to  Yamaki. 

It  is  hardly  to  be  wondered  at  that  Chijiwa 
was  now  under  suspicion.  Taking  advantage 
of  the  position  he  occupied  he  had  been 
not  only  a  secret  informer  for  Yamaki  during 
recent  years,  but  he  had  also  diverted  govern- 
ment funds,  risking  them  in  speculation,  with 
the  result  that  he  had  lost  f>000  yen.  By  dint 
of  constant  begging  from  Yamaki,  whom  Chi- 
jiwa knew  how  to  bend  to  his  will,  and  by  gath- 
ering together  the  crumbs  of  his  own  dissipated 
patrimony,  he  had  succeeded  in  assembling 
some  two  thousand  yen.  There  still  remained 
a  deficit  of  three  thousand  yen  to  fill.  His  only 
relatives,  the  Kawashimas,  were  rich,  arid  be- 
side this  the  widow  of  the  governor  liked  him 
very  much,  but  Chijiwa  knew  the  old  woman's 
miserliness  too  well  to  ask  her  directly  for  even 
a  loan.  .  .  .  Time  was  pressing  and  he  had  to 
have  in  hand  the  required  sum,  --  not  a  small 
one.  It  was  then  that  he  committed  the  serious 
deed  of  forging  Takeo's  seal  in  order  to  pro- 

[128] 


THE   MKEPTIOX   AT   YAM ARTS 

cure,  at  exorbitant  interest,  the  amount  needed. 
When  the  note  fell  due  he  was  most  importun- 
ately pressed  by  the  creditor,  who  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  address  a  demand  for  payment  to  the 
government  office.  No  other  recourse  remained 
than  to  beg  Takeo  to  lend  him  three  thousand 
yen  in  order  to  meet  the  other  three  thousand 
wlu  n  they  fell  due.  In  such  a  manner  he  would 
redeem  Takeo 's  forged  signature  with  Tak 
own  money. 

Several  times,  after  Takeo 's  return,  Cnijiwa 
had  tried  to  lind  his  cousin,  but  without  suc- 
cess. Then  he  had  been  obliged  to  leave  on 
service  and  his  absence  had  lasted  several  d. 
At  the  present  moment  he  was  very  far  from 
suspecting  that  his  creditor  had  already  turned 
to  Takeo  for  satisfaction. 

Yamaki  nodded  affirmatively,  while  Ohijiwa 
gave  him  the  note.  He  rang  a  bell,  calling  for 
his  red  ink-pad,  took  a  seal  from  his  pocket,  and 
after  having  glanced  at  the  paper  affixed  his 
seal  at  the  bottom,  aside  of  the  signature. 

Ohijiwa  grasped  the  note,  placed  it  before 
Takeo  and  said.  "It's  all  ready,  now.  When 
can  yon  give  me  the  money  T" 

"I've  got  it  with  me." 

"With  you?     You're  not  jesting?" 

[129] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

"I'm  in  earnest.  Here  ....  three  thousand 
yen.  .  .  .  Please  count  them  over." 

He  handed  an  envelope  to  Chijiwa,  who 
seized  it  and  tore  it  open ;  after  a  few  moments, 
however,  his  face  became  livid  with  rage  and 
he  began  to  gnash  his  teeth.  He  crumpled  into 
his  fist  the  note  that  he  had  thought  was  still 
safely  locked  in  the  money-lender's  desk,  —  the 
note  that  Takeo,  after  the  information  he  had 
received,  had  paid  for  the  dishonest  debtor. 

"What's  this?    This.  .  .  ." 

"Don't  pretend  that  you  know  nothing  about 
it.  Come,  now.  Confess  your  guilt.  ...  Be 
a  man.  ..." 

Beholding  himself  outwitted  and  humiliated 
by  Takeo,  whom  he  had  always  despised  as  a 
simpleton,  Chijiwa  could  not  master  his  rising 
anger  and  he  bit  his  lips  madly. 

Yamaki  stood  as  motionless  as  a  statue,  his 
pipe  grasped  upside  down  between  his  teeth, 
and  he  looked  mechanically  from  one  of  his 
guests  to  the  other. 

"Chijiwa,"  spoke  Takeo  at  last,  "I'll  say 
no  more  about  this  unfortunate  occurrence. 
We're  cousins,  and  I'll  not  have  recourse  to 
the  law  to  have  you  punished  for  forging  my 
seal.  I  paid  your  creditor  the  three  thousand 

[130] 


THE   RECEPTION  AT  YAMAKI'S 

yen,  so  you  may  rest  easy.  No  more  bills  will 
reach  your  office." 

Chijiwa,  completely  taken  aback,  could 
hardly  control  himself.  He  would  gladly  have 
thrown  himself  upon  Takeo  and  scratched  out 
his  eyes.  Despite  his  excitement,  however,  he 
felt  that  any  attempt  to  justify  himself  would 
be  useless.  Suddenly  he  changed  tactics  and 
said,  humbly,  "My  dear  cousin,  I'm  really 
mortified  to  have  deserved  your  severe  words. 
I  was  forced  to.  .  .  ." 

"Forced?  Forced  to  procure  money  by  vio- 
lating the  laws  and  besmirching  your  honor?" 

"One  moment.  Let  me  speak.  It  happened 
this  way:  I  was  dunned  incessantly  by  my 
creditor  and  I  didn't  know  where  to  turn  to 
get  the  money.  If  you  had  been  at  home  I 
should  naturally  have  turned  to  you.  But  how 
could  I  explain  matters  to  your  mother?  His 
demands  became  so  pressing  that  I ...  .in  order 
to  escape  that  torture.  .  .  .  and  expecting  to 
receive  a  certain  sum  that  should  have  reached 
me  a  month  ago.  .  .  .1.  .  .  .  Of  course  I  knew  it 
was  a  serious  matter,  but  I  intended  to  confess 
everything  as  soon  as  I'd  get  the  money.  ..." 

"That's  a  lie!    How  can  a  man  who  really 

[131] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

intends  to  confess  seek  a  loan  of  three  thousand 
yen  ....  with  such  brazen  impudence?" 

Yamaki,  shocked  at  the  violence  with  which 
Takeo  had  pronounced  these  words,  as  if  he 
had  wanted  to  throw  himself  upon  Chijiwa,  — 
considered  that  the  time  had  come  for  him  to 
intervene  as  peace-maker,  and  he  began,  "My 
dear  Baron,  calm  yourself,  -  -  calm  yourself. 
Don't  get  excited.  I  know  nothing  about  this 
matter,  but  I  believe  you  will  do  well  not  to  get 
too  angry  with  your  cousin.  Two  or  three 
thousand  yen  isn  't  such  a  great  sum.  .  .  .  Chi- 
jiwa was  wrong,  —  there's  no  doubt  whatever 
about  that.  But  if  all  this  should  become 
known  he'll  lose  his  position.  For  this  reason 
alone,  Baron,  I  beg  you  to.  .  .  ." 

"I  have  already  said  that  on  this  very  ac- 
count I  redeemed  the  note  and  that  I  do  not 
intend  to  bring  action  against  him.  Further- 
more, Yamaki,  it  would  be  much  better  if  you 
would  keep  silent.  This  affair  isn't  exactly 
your  business."  Then,  turning  to  Chijiwa,  he 
continued,  "I'll  do  nothing,  I  repeat,  but  from 
this  moment  forward  consider  our  friendship 
completely  at  an  end." 

Because  the  matter  was  taking  such  a  turn 
Chijiwa  understood  that  there  was  no  longer 

[132] 


THE   RECEPTION  AT  YAMAKI'S 

any  need  for  anxiety  on  his  part,  and  he  found 
once  more  his  ironic,  wily  smile. 

''Friendship  at  an  end?  I  won't  be  very 
deeply  grieved  at  that.  .  .  ." 

Takeo's  eyes  flashed  like  lightning. 

' '  That  matters  very  little  to  you,  —  now  that 
you  have  the  money.  You  scoundrel!" 

1 '  Say  that  again ! ' ' 

Yamaki,  meanwhile,  had  recovered  a  little  of 
his  self-control  and  thought  it  might  be  worth 
while  to  intervene  a  second  time. 

"My  dear  Baron.  Chijiwa.  My  good  fel- 
lows. Be  sensible.  Stop.  Just  a  moment. 
You  mustn't  part  like  this.  Wait,  —  wait, 
Baron."  And  approaching  now  one,  now  the 
other,  he  kept  repeating,  "Wait,  —  wait." 

In  the  meantime  the  two  cousins  had  become 
calmer.  After  a  few  moments  Takeo  broke  the 
silence,  looking  fixedly  at  Chijiwa. 

"Let's  say  no  more  about  this.  We  were 
brought  up  together,  like  brothers,  and  I've 
always  considered  you  superior  to  me  not  only 
in  years  but  in  understanding.  I  had  hoped 
that  we  could  be  reciprocally  useful  and  I  would 
gladly  have  helped  you  with  all  my  heart  and 
all  my  strength.  But  lately  my  esteem  for 
you  has  vanished.  I  have  heard  rumors  about 

[133] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

you  that  were  hardly  flattering.  That  you  have 
deceived  me  is  a  personal  matter,  but  outside 
of  that  you.  ...  I'll  not  say  it  here.  I'm  not 
interested  to  know  how  you  spent  that  three 
thousand  yen.  I'll  say  just  one  word  more: 
Perhaps  you  don't  know  how  intently  every- 
body's ears  are  cocked  and  everybody's  eyes 
are  sharpened,  and  perhaps  you  don't  know 
of  what  you  're  suspected.  I  advise  you  to  have 
a  care  and  not  to  compromise  your  honor  as 
a  soldier.  For  you,  every  other  feeling  yields 
to  the  passion  for  making  money.  But  think 
for  a  moment  of  the  disgrace !  From  this  day 
forward  I  forbid  you  to  enter  my  house.  As 
for  the  three  thousand  yen,  I  present  them 
to  you." 

Takeo  took  the  note  and  tore  it  to  scraps. 
Then  he  strode  out  of  the  room  impetuously, 
throwing  to  the  floor  0-Toyo,  who  was  crouching 
and  listening  just  outside  the  door.  He  left 
her  crying  at  the  top  of  her  voice  and  walked 
straight  to  the  main  door  without  turning 
around. 

Yamaki,  dazed  as  if  struck  by  a  thunder- 
bolt, at  last  raised  his  eyes  toward  Chijiwa's, 
who  was  at  the  same  time  looking  at  him,  and 
said,  "What  childishness!  Chijiwa,  consider- 

[134] 


THE   RECEPTION  AT  YAMAKI'S 

ing  the  matter  well,  three  thousand  yen  for  a 
mere  rupture  of  friendship  isn't  at  all  so  bad. 
What  do  you  think?" 

Chijiwa  lowered  his  glance  to  the  scraps  of 
paper  into  which  Takeo  had  torn  the  note, 
stood  absorbed  in  meditation  for  some  time, 
then  left  the  room,  biting  his  lips  violently. 


[  135  ] 


CHAPTER  III 
An  Exchange  of  Confidences 

IN  the  first  days  of  February  Nami  was 
taken  ill  with  a  bad  cold,  which  at  first 
grew  rapidly  better,  but  one  evening  she 
remained  up  very  late  to  finish  a  gown  for  her 
mother-in-law  and  as  a  result  suffered  a  re- 
lapse.   On  today,  the  twenty-fifth  of  the  month, 
she  was  still  too  weak  to  get  out  of  bed. 

Every  year,  during  the  severest  days  of 
winter,  it  is  the  custom  to  say  that  there  never 
was  so  cold  a  winter  before.  But  in  this  winter 
the  north  wind  brought  frequent  storms  of 
snow  or  rain  and  even  upon  sunny  days  pene- 
trated into  one 's  very  marrow.  Persons  of  the 
most  robust  constitution  fell  ill,  while  those 
already  sick  died.  In  the  newspapers  the  list 
of  deaths  was  much  longer  than  usual.  The 
persistent  cold  prolonged  Nami 's  indisposition, 
for  she  was  of  delicate  fibre;  she  showed  no 
symptoms  of  serious  illness,  but  the  days 
passed  without  her  languor  diminishing;  her 
head  remained  heavy  and  her  appetite  did  not 
return. 

[136] 


AN  EXCHANGE  OF  CONFIDENCES 

The  clock  struck  two  in  the  afternoon. 
When  the  last  vibrations  had  died  away  a  deep 
silence  returned,  disturbed  only  by  the  slow, 
rhythmic  tick-tock  of  the  clock.  It  was  a  beau- 
tiful day  for  that  time  of  the  year,  and  although 
the  four  paper  windows  were  closed,  veiling 
the  blue  sky  of  spring,  the  light  of  the  pale 
sun  penetrated  into  the  room  and  several  almost 
invisible  rays  seemed  to  perch  upon  Nami's 
fingers  as  she  lay  knitting  a  pair  of  black  silk 
socks.  A  sun-beam  lit  upon  her  black  tresses, 
which  fell  loosely  over  a  cushion  white  as  snow. 
Upon  the  window  at  the  left  was  silhouetted 
a  slender  stalk  of  sumach  rising  from  behind  a 
large  bronze  vase.  On  the  right  was  clearly  out- 
lined the  shape  of  a  tall,  flourishing  plum-tree, 
whose  sprouting  buds,  swayed  by  the  breeze, 
seemed  to  be  greeting  each  other  or  perhaps 
whispering  to  one  another,  "Soon  we'll  be 
flowers  and  Spring  with  its  warm  kiss  will  fill  us 
with  strength  and  beauty!"  Lower  down  upon 
another  window  appeared  the  head  of  a  kitten 
whose  movements  were  betrayed  by  the 
rapidly  changing  shadows.  Suddenly  the  pet 
gave  a  jump,  to  catch  a  moth  that  had  been 
lured  from  its  place  by  the  sun's  warmth. 
The  moth  escaped,  leaving  the  kitten  flat  on 

[137] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

the  ground.  Soon  kitty  began  to  lick  its  paws 
and  the  shadow  of  its  snout  rose  and  fell  with- 
out pause  upon  the  paper  screen. 

Nami  watched  the  cat's  motions  as  if  the 
scene  were  painted  before  her,  and  smiled ;  then, 
dazzled  by  the  shining  reflection  of  the  sun 
she  closed  her  eyes,  sinking  into  a  revery.  All 
at  once  she  awoke  with  a  start,  turned  away, 
took  up  her  knitting  anew  and  commenced  to 
ply  the  needles  vigorously. 

Heavy  footsteps  were  heard  upon  the 
veranda  and  upon  the  paper  windows  appeared 
the  shadow  of  a  massive  body  and  large  fea- 
tures. Suddenly  the  shadow  vanished  and  soon 
proved  to  be  that  of  the  widow  Kawashima, 
who  entered  the  room  and  sat  down  beside 
Nami's  bed. 

"And  how  do  you  feel  today!" 

"Much  better,  thank  you,  mamma.  I  could 
have  got  out  of  bed,  but — ."  As  she  spoke 
Nami  put  aside  her  work,  adjusted  the  folds 
of  her  gown  and  tried  to  raise  herself  to  a  sit- 
ting position.  The  widow  restrained  her. 

"No,  no.  Why!  I'm  not  a  stranger.  Don't 
let  me  disturb  you.  What  ?  Are  you  still  work- 
ing? That  won't  do  you  any  good.  A  sick 
woman  should  think  only  of  getting  better  and 

[138] 


AN  EXCHANGE  OF  CONFIDENCES 

letting  herself  be  cured.  And  remember,  Nami, 
you  mustn't  think  of  Takeo;  think  of  yourself 
and  try  to  get  well  quickly,  my  dear. ' ' 

"Pardon  my  not  rising.  But  I've  been  con- 
fined to  bed  so  long!" 

"There,  Nami.  You  don't  talk  to  me  as  you 
would  with  your  mother.  You're  too  reserved 
with  me." 

The  widow  did  not  express  her  full  thought. 
She  was  in  the  habit  of  complaining  that 
modern  daughters-in-law  were  not  at  all  prop- 
erly respectful  toward  persons  of  her  position ; 
she  could  not  complain  of  this  defect,  however, 
in  Nami,  and  had  been  moved  to  show  greater 
indulgence  to  her  daughter-in-law  on  that 
account.  But  today  she  was  occupied  with  an- 
other thought,  which  seemed  to  have  come  to 
her  suddenly  when  she  asked,  "You  received  a 
letter  from  Takeo,  didn't  you?  What  does  he 
write  1 ' ' 

Nami  brought  forth  a  letter  from  under  the 
pillow  and  showed  part  of  it,  saying,  "He  writes 
that  he  expects  to  return  next  Saturday." 

"Really?"  And  as  the  widow  continued  to 
read  she  muttered,  as  if  to  herself,  "Uhm! 
How  silly  it  is  for  him  to  want  to  take  you  away 
from  here  for  your  health!  To  expose  you  to 

[139] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

a  journey  during  this  cold  weather  would  make 
you  ill  even  if  you  were  in  the  best  of  health. 
A  cold  is  easily  cured,  but  you  must  have 
patience;  he's  altogether  too  scared,  however, 
and  talks  of  doctors  and  changes  of  scene! 
When  I  was  your  age  I  didn't  take  to  my  bed 
for  any  little  indisposition  that  came  along, 
and  even  when  my  son  was  born  I  got  up  after 
the  tenth  day.  You  just  write  to  Takeo  not 
to  worry  about  you,  seeing  that  I'm  here." 

The  widow  spoke  these  final  words  with  a 
smile,  but  in  her  eyes  could  have  been  read  an 
expression  of  discontent.  As  she  walked  off 
Nami  rose  a  little  and  said,  "  Excuse  me  if  I 
cannot  rise." 

When  she  was  left  alone  Nami  heaved  a  deep 
sigh. 

She  could  scarcely  believe  that  a  mother 
should  be  jealous  of  her  son's  wife;  yet  ever 
since  Takeo 's  return  from  his  cruise  she  had 
been  forced  to  notice  that  a  strange  feeling  had 
been  born  between  her  and  her  mother-in-law. 

When  he  had  returned  from  his  long  voyage 
and  had  found  Nami's  health  not  of  the  best 
he  understood  all  the  torments  that  she  had 
suffered  during  his  absence,  and  acted  more 
affectionately  and  tenderly  than  ever  toward 

[140] 


AN  EXCHANGE  OF  CONFIDENCES 

her.  Nami  was  deeply  happy  to  be  the  object 
of  such  loving  devotion,  but  this  felicity  was 
spoiled  by  her  vexation  at  her  mother-in-law's 
jealousy. 

"How  hard  it  is,"  she  thought,  "to  feel 
one 's  self  loved  by  such  a  man  as  Takeo,  and  to 
love  him  in  return,  and  then  have  to  put  up  with 
and  conciliate  a  mother-in-law  like  the  widow 
Kawashima ! ' ' 

"Madame,  Mademoiselle  Kato  has  come  to 
see  you." 

At  the  sound  of  her  maid's  voice  Nami 
opened  her  eyes.  The  announcement  of  the 
welcome  visitor  brought  an  expression  of 
pleasure  to  her  countenance. 

"Oh!  It's  you,  Chizu-san!  How  good  of 
you  to  come ! ' ' 

"Do  you  feel  better  today?" 

A  girl  of  about  sixteen  years,  with  her  hair 
gathered  in  a  graceful  shimada,  approached 
Nami's  bedside  after  having  laid  aside  her  silk 
bag  and  her  lilac-colored  bonnet.  The  slender 
miss  was  dressed  in  a  black  cloak  and  her  shin- 
ing, jet-black  eyes  opened  under  perfectly 
arched  eyebrows.  This  young  and  beautiful 
girl  was  Chizu  Kato,  the  first-born  daughter 
of  Nami's  aunt. 

[141] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Nami  and  Chizu  were  cousins  and  had  become 
close  friends  from  the  very  first  time  they  had 
played  together  in  the  garden,  so  that  little 
Koma,  Nami's  sister,  used  to  complain  that 
nobody  was  left  for  her  to  play  with.  Even 
after  Nami's  marriage,  while  one  after  an- 
other of  her  former  companions  had  become 
estranged,  Chizu,  happy  that  they  were  not 
separated  by  a  great  distance,  came  often  to 
visit  Nami. 

These  cordial  visits  from  her  favorite  Chizu 
were  next  to  Takeo's  letters,  the  greatest  con- 
solation that  the  solitary,  sad  wife  possessed 
during  her  husband's  protracted  absences. 

Nami  smiled.  "I  feel  much  better  today," 
she  said,  "but  my  head  is  as  heavy  as  if  it 
were  solid  lead  and  my  cough  bothers  me  a 
little,  too!" 

"Oh,  I'm  so  sorry  to  hear  that!  And  the 
weather  is  still  so  cold!" 

Chizu  sat  down  near  Nami  upon  a  cushion 
that  the  maid  respectfully  placed  before  her. 
The  visitor  brought  her  be  jeweled  hands  close 
to  the  fireplace  and  then  placed  them  against 
her  cheeks. 

"Are  uncle  and  aunt  both  well?" 

"All  well,  thank  you.    They  feel  very  much 

[142] 


AN  EXCHANGE  OF  CONFIDENCES 

worried  on  your  account  because  the  cold 
weather  continues.  We  were  talking  about  it 
only  last  night.  When  you  '11  get  a  little  better 
you'd  do  well  to  go  to  Zushi  for  a  change  of 
air.  It  will  certainly  do  you  a  lot  of  good." 

"Have  you  already  gone  there?  Takeo,  too, 
wrote  me  from  Yokusuka  that  I  need  a  change 
of  air." 

"He,  too?  Then  you  see Try  to  do  it 

as  soon  as  possible." 

"But  I  think  that  even  without  this  precau- 
tion I  '11  be  better  soon. ' ' 

"You  ought  to  be  very  careful  of  your 
health." 

A  servant  girl  entered,  bringing  a  cup  of  tea 
for  Chizu. 

"Kane,  where  is  mamma?" 

"She  has  a  guest." 

"Ah!    And  who  is  it?" 

"A  man  from  the  country." 

"0-Chizu-san,  I  hope  you  have  a  great  deal 
of  time  today.  Kane,  bring  something  good 
for  0-Chizu-san." 

"No,  no.  I  come  too  often  and  you  mustn't 
always  feel  obliged  to  receive  me  formally. 
Wait  a  moment."  She  took  from  her  pocket 
a  little  box  and  said,  "Madame  Kawashima  is 

[143] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

very  fond  of  rice  tarts.  I've  brought  a  few  for 
her.  But  if  she  has  company  now  I  '11  send  them 
to  her  later." 

"Thanks,  dear.  She'll  be  immensely 
pleased!"  Then  Chizu  took  out  some  bright 
red  oranges. 

"Just  look  at  these!  Aren't  they  beauties? 
These  are  for  you.  I'm  afraid  they'll  be  none 
too  sweet!" 

"How  beautiful  they  are!  Do  peel  one  for 
me!"  Nami  sucked  the  fruit  with  delight  and 
tried  to  brush  back  the  hair  that  fell  over  her 
forehead. 

"Don't  you  like  it  that  way?  Isn't  it  better 
simply  to  knot  your  hair  over  your  head? 
Wait,  I'll  help  you.  No,  no,  you  don't  have  to 
sit  up.  Just  lie  as  you  are.  That's  fine." 

Chizu  took  the  necessary  articles  from  the 
nearby  dressing  table  and  began  gently  to 
arrange  Nami's  hair. 

"I  haven't  told  you  anything  yet  about  the 
reunion  of  the  alumnae  that  took  place  yester- 
day. You  received  a  notice,  too,  didn't  you? 
It  was  very  interesting.  They  all  asked  me  to 
give  you  their  best  wishes. ' '  With  a  soft  smile 
she  continued,  "It's  only  a  year  since  we  left 
school  and  a  good  third  of  us  are  already  mar- 

[144] 


AN  EXCHANGE  OF  CONFIDENCES 

ried.  It  was  particularly  amusing  to  see 
Okuto-san,  Honda-san  and  Kitakoji-san  in  their 
marumage,  with  their  faces  wearing  such  a 
serious  air.  Am  I  hurting  you?  And  then, — 
ah !  If  you  could  only  have  heard !  Everybody 
was  talking  only  about  herself !  And  there  was 
also  a  discussion  about  the  matter  of  married 
children  leaving  their  parents  after  marriage. 
Kitakoji-san  said  that  it  was  a  bad  practice 
and  confessed  that  her  inexperience  in  the  run- 
ning of  a  household  had  found  valuable  aid  in 
the  advice  of  her  good  mother-in-law.  Okuto- 
san,  though,  stoutly  defended  the  advantages 
of  immediate  separation.  You  know,  her 
mother-in-law  is  a  strict,  hot-tempered  thing! 
Oh,  it  was  so  amusing !  And  when  I  wanted  to 
speak  my  opinion,  trying  to  refute  them  all, 
they  refused  to  listen  on  the  grounds  that  I 
wasn't  married  and  had  no  voice  in  the  matter. 
Am  I  pulling  your  hair  too  tight  I ' ' 

'  *  No,  not  at  all.  That  must  have  been  a  most 
interesting  meeting!" 

"  Everybody  spoke,  naturally,  according  to 
her  own  experiences.  Habits  and  customs  vary 
with  each  family,  so  that  it's  impossible  to 
arrive  at  any  exact,  general  rule. ' ' 

' '  O-Chizu-san,  do  you  remember  how  auntie 

[145] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

said  one  day  that  a  young  couple  living  alone 
becomes  lazy  and  selfish!  I  believe  she  was 
right.  We  shouldn't  forget  the  old  folks. 
Don't  you  agree  with  me?" 

Nami  was  of  a  meditative  nature  and  was 
especially  fond  of  domestic  labors.  She  had 
always  given  close  attention  to  her  father's 
counsel  and  had  watched  her  step-mother's 
actions  with  a  critical  eye.  Ever  since  she  had 
been  a  little  girl  she  had  looked  forward  to  the 
day  when  she  could  carry  out  her  wishes  and 
her  own  ideas  in  the  direction  of  a  household. 
But  in  the  Kawashima  family  she  had  found 
a  state  of  things  remote  from  her  childish 
thoughts.  The  administration  of  the  house 
rested  in  the  hands  of  an  empress-mother,  and 
Nami  was  nothing  more  than  a  powerless  im- 
perial princess.  She  tried,  none  the  less,  to 
adapt  herself  to  this  arrangement,  in  hope  of 
better  days  to  come.  But  every  time  she  found 
herself  between  mother  and  son,  and  was  un- 
able to  help  her  husband  as  much  as  she  would 
have  desired,  she  secretly  wept  bitter  tears  at 
her  sad  lot.  It  was  then  that  serious  doubts 
were  born  in  her  as  to  whether  the  theory,  so 
dear  to  her  step-mother,  of  separation  from  the 
parental  roof,  was  not  generally  to  be  pre- 

[146] 


AN  EXCHANGE  OF  CONFIDENCES 

ferred.  Once  such  a  notion  had  appeared  to 
her  entirely  incompatible  with  the  traditional 
and  virtuous  customs  of  her  nation.  Nami  had 
made  up  her  mind  to  submit,  however,  if  only 
to  keep  the  promise  she  had  made  to  her  father, 
and  to  show  her  love  for  Takeo. 

Chizu  tied  Nami's  hair  with  a  white  ribbon. 
It  was  impossible  for  her  to  interpret  exactly 
the  quiet  thoughts  of  her  cousin  who  for  ten 
years  had  been  brought  up  under  the  tyranny 
of  a  step-mother  and  had  now,  for  a  year, 
patiently  suffered  the  caprices  of  her  mother- 
in-law.  She  looked  at  Nami  closely,  asking  in 
a  low  voice,  "Does  she  still  get  angry  very 
often?" 

"Sometimes.  But  she's  been  very  good  to 
me  since  I  became  ill.  Only,  she  doesn't  like 
me  to  keep  thinking  of  Takeo.  That's  the  worst 
of  it  all.  And  even  Takeo  himself  tells  me  that 
she  is  queen  here  and  that  I  must  force  myself 
to  please  her  more  than  himself !  And  so, — but 
let's  not  talk  of  these  matters.  I  feel  much 
better  with  my  hair  that  way.  Thanks.  It 
seems  that  my  head  has  become  lighter." 

Nami  touched  her  hair-dress  lightly  and  then 
closed  her  eyes  as  if  fatigued. 

Chizu  laid  down  the  comb,  and  paused  for  a 

[147] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

few  moments  before  the  dressing  table.  Her 
glance  alighted  upon  a  small  jewel-casket, 
which  she  opened,  exclaiming,  "I  could  look  at 
this  pin  forever !  It 's  splendid !  Takeo-san  has 
excellent  taste,  hasn't  he?" 

She  put  down  the  case  and  went  back  to  her 
place  beside  the  bed. 

"Shunji  is  always  urging  me  to  study  French 
or  English.  He  says  that  a  diplomat's  wife 
ought  to  know  at  least  one  of  these  languages. 
But  I  find  them  too  hard." 

Shunji,  Chizu's  fiance,  was  at  present  an  em- 
ploye in  the  Foreign  Department. 

"How  glad  I'd  be  to  see  you  in  a  marumage, 
although  the  shimada  becomes  you  so  well!" 
said  Nami,  smiling. 

" Oh,  have  pity!" 

Her  charming  eyebrows  came  more  closely 
together,  but  an  involuntary  smile  curled  her 
lips  and  betrayed  even  more  openly  her  inner 
thought. 

"Do  you  remember  Hagiwara-san,  Nami, — 
the  one  that  left  school  a  year  before  us  ? " 

"Yes,  I  do.    She  married  Matsudaira." 

"That's  the  one.  Well,  they  were  divorced 
yesterday.  So  I  was  told." 

"You  don't  say!  And  what  was  the  reason?" 

[148] 


AN  EXCHANGE  OF  CONFIDENCES 

"Her  husband's  parents  were  very  fond  of 
her,  but  Matsudaira  didn't  care  for  her  at  all." 

"Didn't  they  have  a  child,  too?" 

"Yes;  one.  But  Matsudaira  became  ac- 
quainted with  a  bad  woman  and  he  was  so  little 
ashamed  of  his  infidelity  that  Hagiwara's 
father  grew  angry  and  said  he  didn't  want  his 

daughter  married  to  so  infamous  a  man 

And  at  last,  he  called  his  daughter  back  to  her 
home." 

"How  terrible  it  must  be  to  have  a  husband 
who  doesn't  love  you.  Not  even  the  love  of 
your  parents  is  enough  compensation  for  such 
a  loss!" 

Nami  sighed. 

"It  makes  me  sad  to  think  that  so  many  girls 
educated  together  at  the  same  school,  side  by 
side,  should  afterwards  be  dispersed  through 
the  world,  each  according  to  her  own  fate !  .  .  .  . 
0-Chizu-san,  we  will  always  be  friends  and  be 
always  near  each  other,  won 't  we ! " 

"I  desire  that  as  much  as  you  do." 

Their  hands  met  in  a  long  clasp  of  affection. 

After  a  few  moments  Nami  spoke,  smiling. 

"If  you  only  knew  what  dreams  I  have,  lying 
here  in  idleness!  You'd  laugh  at  me  if  I  told 
them  to  you.  Just  suppose  that  in  many  years 

[149] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

around  we  have  a  war  with  some  foreign 
nation  and  Japan  comes  out  victorious.  Shunji- 
san  would  then  go  as  Minister  of  Foreign 
Affairs  to  discuss  terms  of  the  peace  treaty, 
and  Takeo,  as  Chief -Admiral  of  the  fleet,  would 
blockade  the  ports  of  the  enemy." 

"And  uncle  at  Akasaka  will  be  Commander- 
in-Chief  of  the  army  and  navy,  and  my  father, 
as  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Nobles,  will  make 
a  speech  demanding  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
yens  as  indemnity." 

"And  0-Chizu-san  and  I  would  join  the  Red 
Cross!" 

"But  you  won't  be  able  to  do  that  unless  you 
get  stronger  than  you  are  now,"  said  Chizu, 
laughing. 

Nami  joined  in  the  laugh,  but  scarcely  had 
she  done  so  when  she  was  attacked  by  a  fit  of 
coughing  and  had  to  bring  her  hand  to  her  chest 
at  the  left  side. 

"We  gossiped  too  much.    Are  you  in  pain?" 

"Yes.  When  the  cough  takes  me  I  feel  a 
stitch  in  the  side. ' ' 

As  she  spoke  Nami  turned  her  gaze  toward 
the  last  rays  of  the  setting  sun. 


[150] 


CHAPTER  IV 

At  Zushi 

FIVE  days  after  his  encounter  with  Takeo, 
Chijiwa  was  suddenly  transferred  from 
his  office  at  the  general  headquarters  to 
a  regiment  of  the  first  division. 

Chijiwa  had  been  abjectly  humiliated  by  his 
cousin,  and  could  not  stifle  or  even  hide  a  burn- 
ing aversion  for  Takeo. 

In  the  life  of  every  person  there  comes  a  time 
when  everything  seems  to  go  wrong.  Dis- 
appointments and  failures  follow  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, and  everything  undertaken  seems  fore- 
doomed, as  if  Heaven  itself  were  determined 
to  send  its  chastisement  without  surcease. 

For  several  years  Chijiwa  had  found  himself 
in  this  unenviable  position  and  was  unable  to 
extricate  himself.  Nami  had  been  taken  from 
him  by  Takeo,  his  speculations  had  failed,  and 
his  debts  had  caused  him  to  fall  in  disgrace  be- 
fore his  superiors. 

Takeo,  whom  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of 
considering  a  mere  fool,  had  humiliated  him, 

[151] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

and  thus  his   relations   with  the   Kawashima 
family,  his  only  relatives,  had  been  broken. 

But  this  was  not  all.  Without  any  warning 
he  had  been  brusquely  transferred  from  the 
position  he  held  at  the  headquarters.  This 
blow  was  all  the  more  heavy  since  it  struck 
directly  at  his  hopes  of  rapid  promotion.  The 
brilliant  career  he  had  tried  so -hard  to  launch 
was  seriously  impeded  by  his  transfer.  He  saw 
himself,  indeed,  forced  to  occupy  an  insignifi- 
cant post  in  the  infantry,  obliged  to  fulfill  all 
the  duties  that  hitherto  he  had  looked  down 
upon  scornfully  as  menial  labors  of  the  common 
soldier.  Chijiwa  was  too  conscious  of  his  guilt 
to  offer  protest.  But  he  did  not  intend  to 
acknowledge  defeat  or  to  show  any  discourage- 
ment because  of  his  being  lowered  to  the  ranks ; 
he  began  to  execute  his  new  humble  duties  with- 
out revealing  any  shame.  Up  to  that  day 
Chijiwa  had  shown  himself  to  be  endowed  with 
great  presence  of  mind,  which  he  never  lost, 
even  in  the  most  grievous  turns  of  fortune. 
But  recent  events  had  so  overwhelmed  him  that 
as  soon  as  he  felt  that  he  had  fallen  into  deep 
disfavor  with  those  who  had  lately  been  his 
protectors  his  blood  rose  to  his  brain  and  his 
pulse  hammered  faster  in  his  veins. 

[152] 


AT  ZUSHI 

Chijiwa's  present  plight  was  that  of  a  man 
who,  having  begun  a  rapid  ascent  of  a  moun- 
tain from  whose  summit  success  smiles  down 
at  him,  is  violently  thrust  back  after  the  first 
few  successful  steps.  But  who  had  thrust  him 
back?  From  several  allusions  in  Takeo's  con- 
versation and  from  the  fact  that  the  head  of 
the  General  Staff  was  an  intimate  friend  of 
Viscount  Kataoka,  he  suspected  that  the  latter 
was  not  a  total  stranger  to  his  disgrace. 
Chijiwa  knew  that  Takeo  was  indifferent  to 
money  matters,  so  he  supposed  that  the  resent- 
ment shown  by  his  cousin  in  the  affair  of  the 
three  thousand  yen  must  have  a  more  serious 
basis  than  anger  at  the  loss  of  his  money.  For 
Chijiwa  had  not  the  slightest  suspicion  that 
Takeo's  wrath  could  be  attributed  to  the 
forgery  of  his  seal. 

Perhaps  Nami  had  revealed  to  Takeo  the  old 
story  of  Chijiwa's  declaration  of  love,  which 
she  had  repulsed.  Gradually  yielding  to  this 
suspicion  he  began  to  feel  that  this  was  the  true 
clue  to  the  matter,  and  his  hatred  and  jealousy 
waxed  greater  than  ever.  His  disappointment 
in  love,  his  vexation  at  the  loss  of  a  most 
promising  position,  his  jealousy,  his  hatred  for 
the  general  and  for  Nami  and  Takeo, — all  these 

[153] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

were  so  many  fiery  arrows  that  pierced  his  pas- 
sionate soul  and  set  it  aflame.  He  had  always 
been  proud  of  his  shrewdness  and  used  to  make 
fun  of  those  who,  blinded  with  rage,  always  lose 
sight  of  their  ulterior  aims  in  the  folly  of  their 
present  anger.  But  now,  after  this  rapid  suc- 
cession of  humiliations  and  misfortunes,  he  so 
far  lost  the  artificial  calm  of  his  disciplined 
nature  that  he  felt  he  could  no  longer  control 
his  passions  and  that  he  must  open  some  safety 
valve  to  give  vent  to  the  boiling,  tempestuous 
poison  that  coursed  through  his  veins. 

Revenge !    Revenge ! 

There  is  no  greater  lust  in  the  world  than 
that  of  sipping  the  blood  of  a  hated  enemy. 
The  mere  thought  of  this  joy  makes  our  eyes 
sparkle;  our  tongues  smack  voluptuously 
against  our  palates. 

Revenge !    Revenge ! 

But  how?  What  powerful  bomb  could 
Chijiwa  discover  to  destroy  the  hated  houses 
of  Kataoka  and  Kawashima  at  a  single  stroke? 
How  place  it  so  that  both  houses  should  be 
blown  high  up  in  the  air?  What  a  diverting 
scene  it  would  be  to  see  the  butchered  flesh  from 
the  bodies  of  those  hated  men  and  women,  and 
the  fragments  of  their  bones  scattered  to  perdi- 

[154] 


AT  ZUSHI 

tion,  still  trembling  with  life.  Oh,  that  would  be 
indeed  an  unforgettable  orgy  of  jubilant  ven- 
geance ! 

This  was  the  problem  that  Chijiwa,  since  the 
month  of  January,  had  been  trying  painfully 
day  and  night  to  solve. 

It  was  now  the  middle  of  March  and  the 
petals  of  the  plum  blossoms  were  beginning  to 
fall  to  the  ground  like  flakes  of  snow. 

One  day  Chijiwa  had  to  go  to  the  Shimbashi 
station  to  greet  a  friend  who  had  been  trans- 
ferred from  the  third  division  to  an  office  in 
Tokyo.  As  he  was  coming  out  of  the  waiting- 
room  he  passed  a  tall  lady  who  was  accompanied 
by  a  young  girl.  The  woman  was  upon  the 
threshold  of  the  ladies'  waiting-room. 

1 1  How  are  you  f ' ' 

Madame  Kataoka  and  Koma  were  standing 
before  him.  At  first  Chijiwa 's  face  changed 
color,  but  upon  seeing  from  the  expressions 
upon  their  countenances  that  they  knew  noth- 
ing about  his  affairs  he  breathed  more  easily. 
He  hated  the  general  and  Nami,  but  he  under- 
stood that  it  was  perfectly  futile  to  appear 
angry  with  Madame  Kataoka.  So  he  bowed 
very  courteously  and  asked,  with  a  smile,  "How 
is  the  Madame  Viscountess?" 

[155] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

"We  haven't  seen  you  for  some  time. 
What's  the  matter?" 

"I  would  gladly  have  come  to  see  you,  but 
I've  been  exceedingly  busy  these  past  few 
months.  Where  are  you  bound  for?" 

"Zushi.    And  you!" 

"I'm  waiting  for  a  friend.  Are  you  upon 
a  pleasure  trip?" 

"Why,  don't  you  know  that  we  have  a  sick 
woman  on  our  hands?" 

"A  sick  woman?  And  who  can  she  be?" 
asked  Chijiwa,  surprised. 

"Nami,"  replied  Madame  Kataoka. 

At  that  moment  the  bell  sounded  and  passen- 
gers came  hurrying  into  the  station.  Koma 
grasped  her  mother  by  the  arm.  "Mamma,  it's 
time  for  us  to  go.  Come,  quickly  1 ' ' 

Chijiwa  took  charge  of  the  ladies'  valise, 
ready  to  accompany  them  to  their  car. 

"Is  she  very  ill?" 

"Yes.    Her  lungs  are  affected." 

"Her  lungs?" 

"A  touch  of  tuberculousis.     She  had  a  bad 

hemorrhage  and  went  to  Zushi  some  time  ago 

to  recover.     We  are  on  our  way  to  see  her." 

She  took  her  valise  from  Chijiwa,  thanked  him, 

[156] 


AT  ZUSHI 

and  said,  " Good-bye.    I'll  be  back  soon  and  I'll 
expect  you  to  call  on  us." 

As  he  observed  the  costly  cashmere  shawl 
and  the  bonnet  trimmed  with  bright  red  ribbons 
disappear  inside  of  a  first-class  compartment, 
Chijiwa  could  not  suppress  a  vindictive  smile, 
which  despite  his  efforts  mounted  to  his  lips. 

When  the  physician  saw  that  the  symptoms 
of  Nami's  illness  were  becoming  worse  he  did 
everything  in  his  power  to  employ  heroic 
measures  without  as  yet  awakening  apprehen- 
sion about  the  poor  suffering  wife.  Despite 
these  skilled  efforts  to  combat  the  disease, 
Nami's  condition  continued  to  grow  more 
serious  and  at  the  beginning  of  March  it  seemed 
that  the  young  wife  was  doomed  to  become  a 
victim  of  consumption. 

Even  her  mother-in-law,  who,  always  pre- 
occupied with  her  own  health,  used  to  laugh 
at  the  indispositions  of  youth  and  turn  a  deaf 
ear  to  all  proposals  for  a  change  of  air  and 
for  special  cures,  was  very  much  disturbed  by 
Nami's  hemorrhages.  She  felt  certain  fears, — 
for  she  had  heard  talk  about  the  contagious 
nature  of  the  illness, — and  thus,  without  any 
opposition,  followed  the  advice  of  the  doctor 

[157] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

who  advised  Nami  to  be  sent  to  the  Kataoka 
villa  at  Zushi  with  a  trained  nurse. 

Nami  had  been  deeply  impressed  by  the  first 
violent  manifestation  of  the  disease.  Her  feel- 
ing was  that  of  a  solitary  traveler  who,  lost  on 
an  immense  shore,  finds  himself  suddenly  en- 
circled on  all  sides  by  hosts  of  black,  menacing 
clouds.  When,  however,  that  horrifying  silence 
had  been  broken,  and  Nami  saw  herself  en- 
veloped by  rumbling  thunder  and  blinding 
flashes  of  lightning,  hurled  about  by  the  howl- 
ing winds  and  drenched  by  torrents  of  rain, 
she  summoned  all  her  strength  to  flee  soon  from 
that  terrible  tempest  and  the  sight  of  the  dark 
clouds. 

Yet  how  horrible  did  the  remembrance  of  that 
first  attack  remain,  and  how  vivid ! 

It  was  the  second  of  March.  Nami  was  feel- 
ing better  than  usual,  and  was  amusing  herself 
by  arranging  flowers  of  various  colors  in  sym- 
bolic groups, — an  innocent  pleasure  that  for  a 
long  time  she  had  been  unable  to  enjoy.  She 
had  just  asked  her  husband,  who  happened  to 
be  close  by,  to  help  her  place  the  flowers.  They 
were  out  on  the  veranda  and  she  was  plucking 
some  twigs  from  a  splendid  little  plum  tree. 

Suddenly  she  felt  a  keen  pang  in  her  breast, 

[158] 


AT  ZUSHI 

her  head  sank  to  her  shoulder,  a  stifled  cry  came 
from  her  throat,  and  the  fatal  gush  of  blood, 
so  much  feared,  flowed  forth  from  her  lips, 
which  had  at  first  contracted  in  a  horrible 
spasm.  The  terrible  moment  that  she  had 
awaited  with  a  sad  presentiment  had  come  at 
last;  before  her  confused  mind  arose  a  fleeting 
vision, — that  of  a  grave  seen  afar  through  a 
scarcely  transparent  veil 

Ah!    Death! 

When  Nami  was  still  a  little  unhappy  baby 
life  had  contained  few  joys  for  her  and  death 
would  not  have  brought  much  grief;  but  now 
she  had  begun  to  know  the  sweetness  of  life 
and  it  seemed  that  life  of  itself  was  a  great, 
incommensurable  joy  when  compared  with 

death Ah!  That  thought  was  too 

cruel, — it  was  unbearable.  And  now  that  she 
faced  an  uncertain  future  she  decided  to  strug- 
gle, to  fight  the  frightful  plague  with  all  her 
strength.  She  summoned  all  her  courage, 
forced  herself  to  appear  full  of  hope,  and 
bravely  lifted  her  heart  that  had  been  too  soon 
oppressed  and  cowed  by  a  mad  terror  of 
death Carefully  and  diligently  she  sub- 
mitted to  all  the  rules  and  remedies  prescribed 
for  her,  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  physi- 

[159] 


THE    HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

cian,  who  was  happy  to  find  so  obedient  a 
patient. 

Takeo,  who  was  at  that  time  stationed  at 
Yokusaka,  not  far  from  Zushi,  came  often  to 
see  her;  indeed,  he  rushed  to  her  side  as  often 
as  his  duties  permitted.  She  received  frequent 
letters  from  her  father,  and  her  aunt  and  Chizu 
paid  her  many  visits.  And  good  old  Iku,  who 
had  been  separated  from  her  the  previous  sum- 
mer, took  such  tender  and  affectionate  care  of 
her  that  Nami,  despite  the  sadness  occasioned 
by  her  illness,  felt  as  if  she  were  in  a  paradise, 
surrounded  as  she  was  by  so  much  solicitous 

attention  and  so  much  love And  at  so 

beautiful  a  place.  And  besides,  there  was  an 
old  and  faithful  man  servant  who  directed  the 
affairs  of  the  house  most  intelligently  and  knew 
how  to  procure  for  his  beloved  mistress  the  best 
of  comforts. 

It  was  still  cold  in  the  city  when  Nami  left 
it  to  take  refuge  in  the  charming  strip  of  warm, 
sun-bathed  seashore.  It  seemed  to  her  that  she 
could  breathe  more  easily  in  the  bright  light  of 
fruitful  nature  and  in  the  still  brighter  atmos- 
phere of  human  sympathy.  It  was  not  long 
before  she  began  to  feel  relieved  and  much  bet- 
ter; after  two  weeks  the  hemorrhages  ceased 

[160] 


AT  ZUSHI 

and  her  cough,  too,  gave  signs  of  diminishing. 
The  doctor,  who  came  frequently  from  Tokyo 
to  watch  the  progress  of  the  case,  expressed 
great  satisfaction  upon  seeing  that  the  disease 
was  making  no  further  inroads.  He  could  now 
assure  them  that  there  was  hope  of  recovery 
because  the  patient  had  taken  every  precaution 
and  had  scrupulously  followed  his  injunctions. 

It  was  evening  of  the  first  day  of  April.  In 
the  capital  it  was  still  too  early  for  the  blossom- 
ing of  the  cherry  trees,  but  here  in  Zushi  the 
wild  cherries  on  the  slope  of  the  hill  were  be- 
ginning to  bloom  and  across  the  ample  extent 
of  pale  green  could  be  seen,  here  and  there, 
pleasant  clouds  of  white. 

On  this  day,  however,  nature  had  seemed 
oppressed  by  a  sense  of  sadness.  A  slow 
drizzle  had  been  falling  since  early  morning. 
The  hills  and  the  sea  were  blurred  to  the  sight, 
merging  into  a  gray,  uniform,  dull  background. 
It  seemed  that  the  long  spring  day  would  never 
come  to  an  end.  Towards  evening  the  rain  be- 
gan to  fall  faster  and  there  arose  a  wind  that 
howled  and  played  havoc  with  doors  and  paper 
windows,  while  the  reverberating  thunder  of 
the  waves  sounded  like  the  charge  of  thousands 
of  wild  steeds.  The  fishermen's  huts  had  been 

[161] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

barricaded  and  not  a  light  revealed  the  exist- 
ence of  a  human  being. 

In  the  Kataoka  villa  a  familiar  scene  was 
taking  place.  Takeo  had  arrived,  received  with 
joy  after  a  long  wait  that  had  begun  in  the 
early  hours  of  the  day.  Owing  to  a  delay  he 
had  not  been  able  to  leave  until  toward  evening, 
and  then  he  hurried  to  the  house,  defying  the 
menacing  darkness  of  the  tempestuous  night. 

He  had  already  changed  his  clothes  and  after 
having  eaten  supper  he  was  now  reading  a  let- 
ter, leaning  against  the  table. 

Before  him  Nami  was  embroidering  an  ele- 
gant purse.  Often  her  needle  rested  idly  be- 
tween her  fingers,  as  she  raised  her  glance  and 
smiled  at  her  husband,  or  sank  into  a  revery, 
with  her  ear  attuned  to  catch  every  sound  that 
came  out  of  the  stormy  night.  In  her  hair  was 
inserted  a  sprig  of  cherry  blossoms  with  tender 
little  green  leaves.  On  the  table  between  hus- 
band and  wife  was  a  lamp  that  shed  a  soft, 
rosy  light  over  the  room.  In  a  vase  near  the 
lamp  another  sprig  of  cherry  blossoms  slowly 
dropped  its  snow-white  petals.  Perhaps  the 
starry  crowns  were  still  dreaming  of  the  spring- 
time splendor  that  had  enfolded  them  that 
morning  on  the  green  hills.  Outside,  the  wind 

[162] 


AT  ZUSHI 

moaned  incessantly  and  the  rain  fell  with  a 
ceaseless  monotone. 

Takeo  folded  the  letter  and  at  last  broke  the 
silence. 

''Your  father  seems  to  be  very  much  worried 
about  you.  Tomorrow  morning  I'll  leave  for 
Tokyo  and  I'll  do  my  best  to  get  to  Akasaka." 

"What?  You're  going  away  again  to- 
morrow? Oh,  yes.  Your  mother  expects  you. 
I  should  love  to  go  with  you " 

"Nami-san,  you  mustn't  forget  why  you're 
in  exile ! ' ' 

*  *  Oh,  if  this  is  exile  I  wish  it  would  last  for- 
ever !  Dearest,  you  may  smoke. ' ' 

"Do  I  look  as  if  I  wanted  to  smoke!  Thanks, 
I  'd  better  not  smoke  while  I  'm  here.  I  '11  make 
up  for  it  tomorrow. ' ' 

Nami  smiled.  ' '  Well,  seeing  you  're  so  good, ' ' 
she  said,  "I'll  let  you  taste  some  excellent 
cakes.  Iku  will  soon  bring  them  in. " 

"Thanks.  Did  0-Chizu-san  bring  them  to 
you?  What  are  you  working  at  there?  It's 
really  very  pretty ! ' ' 

"It  helps  me  pass  the  time.  I'm  making  it 
for  mamma.  Oh,  never  fear, — it  doesn't  tire 
me  at  all.  On  the  contrary,  it  diverts  my  mind. 
And  this  evening  I  feel  so  well !  Won't  you  let 

[163] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

me  stay  up  a  little  later  than  usual?    I  don't 
look  sick  any  more,  do  I  ?  " 

'  *  I  'm  not  surprised  that  you  should  feel  bet- 
ter, seeing  that  your  famous  physician,  Takeo 
Kawashima,  is  at  your  side.  Really,  though, 
I  think  you  improved  very  much  during  the  past 
few  days.  There's  no  longer  any  danger " 

Old  Iku,  who  at  this  point  came  in  with  the 
tea  and  cakes,  exclaimed,  "What  a  terrible 
storm  tonight.  And  how  lucky  that  the  Baron 
has  come !  We  'd  never  have  been  able  to  sleep 
a  wink  if  he  hadn't  arrived.  Mademoiselle 
Chizu  has  left  us  and  the  nurse,  too,  has  re- 
turned to  Tokyo.  Of  course,  there 's  old  Mokei, 
but " 

"How  awful  this  kind  of  weather  must  be 
for  the  men  at  sea.  And  perhaps  the  ones  who 
anxiously  await  their  return  are  even  more  to 
be  pitied!"  said  Nami. 

"Oh,  this  sort  of  weather  is  comparatively 
fine!"  observed  Takeo,  while  he  sipped  his  tea 
and  rapidly  caused  two  or  three  pieces  of  cake 
to  disappear.  "But  if  you  had  been  with  us 
during  a  certain  tempest  in  the  Yellow  Sea, 
you'd  know  what  a  storm  at  sea  means !  When 
even  a  vessel  of  4000  tons  is  lifted  up  like  a 
feather  to  a  height  of  twelve  or  fifteen  metres, 
[164] 


AT  ZUSHI 

while  the  deck  is  overwhelmed  by  furious  waves 
and  the  whole  hulk  creaks  as  if  it's  going  to 
come  apart  like  a  wooden  shack !  I  'm  ready  to 
wager  that  you'd  not  feel  very  comfortable  at 
such  a  time!" 

The  wind  outside  increased  in  fury  and  was 
now  throwing  the  rain  violently  against  the 
house,  while  the  rain  drops  struck  against  the 
windows  like  pebbles  thrown  with  force.  Nami 
closed  her  eyes  and  Iku  shuddered.  All  were 
silent  for  some  time,  and  only  the  voice  of  the 
storm  was  heard  as  it  howled  with  growing 
rage. 

" Let's  not  speak  of  such  horrible  things.  In 
weather  like  this  it's  better  to  keep  the  lamp 
well  lighted  and  to  talk  about  cheerful  matters. 
This  place  seems  warmer  than  Yokosuka.  The 
cherries  are  already  in  blossom  here." 

Nami  arranged  the  flowers  in  the  vase. 

"Kind  old  Mokei  gathered  these  on  the  hill- 
side this  morning,"  she  said.  "Aren't  they 
beautiful?  I'm  afraid  that  this  storm  is  going 
to  do  lots  of  damage  to  the  tender  plants  and 
the  budding  branches !  However,  these  flowers 
are  strong  and  courageous.  This  afternoon,  as 
I  was  reading  some  verses  by  our  Buddhistic 
poetess,  Rengetsu,  I  found  these  sweet  lines : 

[165] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

Oh,  how  I  love  you,  luminous,  odorous  flowers, 
When  as  you  flourish  in  full-colored,  beauteous  vigor. 

Yet,  oh  how  soon  does  the  grave  ope  to  receive  you ! 
The  first  of  the  sun's  sweet  kisses  is  almost  the  last. 

Then  do  you  die,  calmly,  pure  as  the  air, 

Sweetly  exhaling  your  breath  like  a  dream  of  love. 

For  you  are  indeed  a  dream,  of  light  and  perfume: 
Sent   from  above,  oh  flower,   and   cannot  remain. 

You  pass  o'er  the  earth,  e'en  as  a  flash  through  the 

heavens, 
And  in  a  divine  moment  of  life  are  consumed. 

"What's  that?  Consumed  in  a  moment! 
Our  people  love  flowers  too  much, — and  other 
frail  things  that  fall  too  soon.  It's  all  very 
sad,  to  be  sure,  but  it  isn't  good  to  be  too 
tender-hearted.  In  war  and  in  other  enter- 
prises those  who  fall  are  conquered.  I  would 
rather  encourage  in  people,  through  means  of 
poetry,  the  proud  and  constant  feeling  that 
makes  one  love  and  cling  to  life  up  to  the  very 
last  breath.  And  my  song  would  be  far  dif- 
ferent. Listen.  It'll  surprise  you,  perhaps. 
It's  my  first  attempt."  Takeo  recited: 

Smile  not  at  me  if  I  wildly  embrace  this  life. 
Nor  call  it  a  childish  caprice, — this  thirst  of  mine 

For  life.     Although  I  am  bewildered  here  below, 
Still  can  I  not  believe  that  death  is  a  boon. 

[166] 


AT  ZUSHI 

For  that  my  heart  rejoices,  drunk  with  delight, 
Despite  all  the  bitterness  and  suffering, 

In  seeing  the  flowers  gently  rise  to  new  life, 
Upon  their  dead  stems,  in  the  first  sweet  days  of 
spring. 

"How  do  you  like  those  verses?  Don't  you 
think  I've  surpassed  even  Hitomaro?" 

"How  pretty  they  really  are!  My  master  is 
a  genuine  poet.  Don't  you  think  so,  Madame 
Nami?" 

Takeo  beamed  with  delight. 

1 1  Now  that  old  Iku  has  passed  judgment,  my 
fame  is  assured!" 

The  noise  of  the  storm  in  chorus  with  the 
thunder  of  the  waves  filled  the  pause  in  their 
discussion  and  it  seemed  to  the  three  silent  per- 
sons that  they  were  lost  at  sea  in  a  fragile  boat. 
Old  Iku  went  out  for  some  water.  Nami 
brought  out  the  little  thermometer  that  she  had 
a  short  time  before  placed  next  her  body  and 
showed  it  happily  to  her  husband.  Her  fever 
continued  to  diminish.  Then  she  began  for  a 
while  to  arrange  the  flowers  that  she  had  just 
laid  upon  the  table  and  suddenly  she  said,  in 

a  soft  voice,  "It's  just  a  year  today I 

recall  it  all  so  clearly.    I  was  riding  off  in  the 
carriage  and  my  folks  were  at  the  door  waving 

[167] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

me  good-bye,  and  I  could  find  no  words  to  say 

farewell.  And  then  I  remember at  Tameike 

bridge  night  overtook  us  and  before  us  rose  a 
full  moon.  And  at  that  season  the  cherry  trees 
were  in  bloom,  too;  while  the  carriage  slowly 
climbed  the  hill  the  white  petals  fell  about  us 
in  a  merry  dance.  Do  you  remember?  One 
petal  fell  on  my  hair  and  I  didn't  know  it  until 
auntie  took  it  off  when  we  got  out. ' ' 

Takeo  placed  his  cheek  against  her  hand. 

"How  quickly  the  years  fly  by!"  he  said. 
"You'll  see.  In  a  short  while  we'll  be  celebrat- 
ing our  silver  wedding!  I  still  recall  how  re- 
served you  were  on  the  day  of  our  wedding. 
And  how  surprised  I  was  to  find  you  so  calm ! ' ' 

"And  now  will  it  surprise  you  more  still 
if  I  tell  you,  in  confidence,  that  I  was  so  be- 
wildered, I  scarcely  was  able  to  hold  the  cere- 
monial cup  in  my  hands."1 

At  this  moment  Iku  came  in. 

"What  a  fine  time  you're  both  having  now," 
she  said.  "How  good  it  makes  me  feel  to  see 
your  happy  faces!  It  makes  me  think  of  the 
pleasant  days  of  Ikao." 

' '  Ikao !    Oh,  how  happy  we  were,  there ! ' ' 

1  Reference    to   tfce    custom    of   exchanging   the    cup    of   sak6   —   nine 
times.      (San-San   Kudo). 

[168] 


AT  ZUSHI 

"And  do  you  remember  when  we  went  fern 
gathering  ?  I  recall  one  woman  that  wasted  no 
time!" 

"But  it  was  you  who  urged  me  to  the  work!" 
replied  Nami,  smiling. 

"It  will  soon  be  fern  season  again.  So  hurry 
up  and  get  well,  dearest.  And  we  '11  go  back  and 
gather  some  more " 

Despite  the  tempestuous  night,  the  next  day 
was  calm  and  beautiful. 

In  the  afternoon  Takeo  was  to  leave  for 
Tokyo.  In  the  warm  hours  of  the  morning, 
when  the  wind  was  still,  he  wanted  to  accom- 
pany Nami  on  a  short  walk.  They  went  toward 
the  sea-shore  across  a  sandy  hill  shaded  by  a 
pine  grove. 

"What  wonderful  weather!  Who  could  have 
foreseen  it  last  night  ? ' ' 

"Nobody,  really." 

"See  how  near  th6  other  shore  looks.  As  if 
within  the  range  of  our  voices ! '  ' 

Wandering  along  the  beach,  which  was 
already  dry,  they  passed  groups  of  little  boys 
in  search  of  shells  and  fishermen  who  were 
hurrying  to  cast  their  nets  in  the  calm  sea. 
Then  they  turned  toward  a  part  of  the  shore 
that  was  planted  with  bushes  and  sought  out 
a  solitary  spot. 

[169] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

All  at  once  Nami,  as  if  struck  by  a  sudden 
thought,  asked,  "Do  you  know  what  Chijiwa 
is  doing  at  present!" 

" Chijiwa!  That  shameless  scoundrel!  I 
never  saw  him  again.  But  why  do  you  inquire 
after  him  I" 

For  an  instant  Nami  hesitated,  then  she 
answered,  "You'll  laugh  at  me.  I  dreamed  of 
him  last  night." 

1 1  Dreamed  of  him  I    How 's  that  ? ' ' 

"He  was  talking  to  mamma." 

"Why  bother  your  brain  with  such  thoughts! 
....  And  what  was  he  talking  about?" 

"I  don't  remember.  But  mamma  seemed  to 
nod  her  head  continually  in  agreement  with 
him.  ....  Oh,  by  the  way,  0-Chizu-san  told  me 
that  she  had  seen  him  lately  together  with 
Yamaki.  Perhaps  that  was  what  made  me 
dream  of  him.  Look,  dear,  —  Chijiwa  will 
never  come  into  our  home  again,  will  he?" 

"Certainly  not.  Mamma,  too,  is  angry  with 
him." 

A  sigh  escaped  from  Nami's  lips. 

"I  can't  reconcile  myself  to  the  thought  that 
your  mother  is  so  angry  with  me  because  of  my 
illness." 

[170] 


AT  ZUSHI 

Takeo  felt  a  shudder  ripple  over  his  body. 
He  had  not  told  his  dear  little  invalid  that  his 
mother,  during  the  absence  of  Nami,  had  waxed 
even  more  bitter  and  advised  him  continually 
to  keep  away  from  Zushi  so  as  to  avoid  catch- 
ing the  disease, — nor  how  she  had  gone  so  far 
as  to  speak  ill  of  the  Kataoka  family  regarding 
the  sickness  of  Nami,  which  disturbed  the 
widow  so  greatly.  And  when  Takeo  had  sought 
to  calm  his  mother  she  called  him  a  fool,  re- 
proving him  for  disobeying  his  mother  out  of 

love  for  his  wife This  scene  had  several 

times  been  repeated. 

"Oh,  my  little  darling,  you  worry  altogether 
too  much !  Why  should  you  give  it  any  thought  ? 
Gather  all  your  strength  so  as  to  recover,  and 
prepare  for  a  nice  celebration  next  spring. 
Then  we'll  go  with  mamma  to  Yoshimo  and 
there  we  '11  watch  the  cherry  trees  ripen.  There, 
now  we  've  walked  quite  enough.  Are  you  tired  ? 
Shall  we  return  ? 

They  had  reached  the  foot  of  a  little  hill  that 
rose  from  the  shore  with  a  slight  slope. 

"Let 's  go  as  far  as  the  temple  of  Fudo."    I 'm 

*  A  Buddhist  deity,  represented  by  a  frightful  countenance,  and  sur- 
rounded by  flames.  In  his  right  hand  he  holds  a  sword  with 
which  to  strike  evil  spirits,  and  in  the  left  a  rope  with  which  to 
strangle  them. 

[171] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

not  at  all  tired.  I  feel  so  well  that  I  could  walk 
to  Europe." 

" Really,  do  you  feel  well?  Perhaps  it  would 
be  best  for  you  to  throw  this  shawl  over  your 

shoulders The  rocky  ground  is  moist, 

you  might  slip Hold  firmly  to  my  arm. ' ' 

Takeo  helped  Nami  climb  the  narrow,  rocky 
path.  From  time  to  time  they  stopped  and  at 
last  reached  a  waterfall,  down  which  there 
rolled  numerous  thin,  silver  streams.  Beside 
the  waterfall  was  the  temple  of  Fudo.  A  few 
pines  lifted  their  high  trunks  above  the  summit 
of  the  slope,  and  their  tops  bent  over  toward 
the  seashore. 

Takeo  brushed  the  dust  off  a  block  of  marble 
and  spread  out  the  shawl  for  Nami  to  sit  down. 
He  sat  down  beside  her,  clasped  his  knees  and 
exclaimed,  "What  a  peaceful  spot!" 

The  sea,  indeed,  was  very  calm.  The  noon- 
day sky  shone  blue  and  cloudless.  The  waters, 
on  the  surface,  glistened  with  a  luminous, 
resplendent  reflection,  which  did  not  change 
under  the  most  patient  glance.  Earth  and  sea 
were  at  rest,  dreaming  in  the  deep  quiet  of  that 
spring  day. 

"Listen  to  me,  my  love!" 

"What  is  it,  Nami-san!" 

[172] 


AT  ZUSHI 

"Can  it  be  cured?" 

"What?" 

"My  illness." 

"What  nonsense  are  you  speaking?  Why 
shouldn't  it  be  cured!  Trust  me,  you  will  re- 
cover. I'll  be  able  to  cure  you, — I'll  take  such 
good  care  of  you!" 

Nami  let  her  head  sink  upon  his  shoulder. 

"It  seems  to  me,  that  I'll  never  get  better. 
My  mother  died  from  the  same  disease." 

"Nami-san,  why  do  you  talk  like  this  to  me 
today?  Why,  you're  ever  so  much  better.  Did 
you  hear  what  the  doctor  said?  Maybe  your 
mother  died  of  it,  but  you're  not  yet  twenty  and 
the  illness  is  only  in  its  first  stage.  You  may 
feel  sure  of  recovery.  Don't  you  remember 
Okahava, — that  relative  of  ours  whose  whole 
right  lung  was  gone  and  whose  doctor  held  out 
no  hope,  and  who  lived  a  good  fifteen  years 
after  that?  If  your  will  proves  strong  enough 
you  will  get  well  beyond  a  doubt.  And  if  you 
don't  it  will  be  your  fault, — because  your  love 
for  me  will  have  been  too  weak.  If  Nami-san 
loves  me,  she  will  surely  get  well.  Tell  me: 
why  are  you  so  sad?" 

Takeo  seized  Nami's  hand  and  pressed  it 
passionately  to  his  lips.  A  diamond  sparkled 

[173] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

on  her  little  finger;  it  was  the  one  that  Takeo 
had  given  her. 

For  a  long  time  both  were  silent.  A  white 
sail  appeared,  turning  the  island  of  Yenoshima, 
and  sped  toward  them  over  a  sea  as  smooth  aa 
a  mirror.  On  the  breeze  came  the  sounds  of 
a  merry  fishermen's  song,  far  away. 

Nami's  eyes,  shining  with  repressed  tears, 
seemed  to  smile,  while  her  lips  murmured, 
"Yes,  yes.  I  will  recover.  But  why  should  we 
have  to  die !  I  would  want  to  live  for  a  thou- 
sand years!  Ah,  if  we  must  die,  why  not  die 
together?" 

"If  you  should  leave  me,  you  may  be  sure 
I  could  not  survive  you.'* 

"Beally?  What  a  joy  to  die  together!  But 
you  have  a  mother  and  duties  to  fulfil.  You 
can't  do  as  you  please.  I  shall  go  first,  and 
then  wait  for  you.  And  you  will  think  of  me 
often  when  I  am  no  longer  here?  Oh,  you  will 
do  that,  won't  you?" 

And  now  tears  were  rolling  down  his  cheeks, 
too.  He  caressed  Nami's  head  g'ently,  and 
whispered  to  her,  "Let's  not  talk  of  such  sad 
things.  Get  better,  Nami,  and  we'll  live  to- 
gether for  a  long,  long  time.  And  we'll  cele- 
brate our  golden  wedding!" 

[174] 


AT  ZUSHI 

She  pressed  Takeo's  hands  tightly  in  her 
own,  let  her  head  fall  to  his  knees,  and  wept. 

"Ill  be  your  wife  even  beyond  this  life. 
Nothing  can  separate  us.  Not  enemies,  not  ill- 
ness, not  even  death I  am  yours,  all 

yours,  for  eternity  without  end " 


[175] 


CHAPTER  V 

Revenge ! 

THE  smile  that  came  to  Chijiwa's  lips 
when,  at  the  Shimbashi  station,  he 
learned  of  Nami's  illness,  betokened  a 
feeling  of  exultation.  Most  unexpectedly  he 
discovered  in  his  grasp  the  key  to  a  prob- 
lem that  had  up  to  that  day  given  him  much 
laborious  thought.  The  hated  families  of 
Kawashima  and  Kataoka  were  united  through 
the  marriage  of  Nami  to  Takeo.  Her  illness 
thus  offered  an  opportunity  of  double  ven- 
geance. The  dangerous,  contagious  nature  of 
the  disease  and  the  frequent  absences  of  Takeo 
would  favor  the  success  of  his  machinations. 
He  felt  sure  that  a  few  words  opportunely 
whispered  into  the  widow's  ear  regarding  her 
daughter-in-law's  illness  would  produce  the 
desired  effect.  When  the  mine,  thus  prepared, 
would  be  touched  off,  all  he  would  have  to  do 
would  be  to  jump  quickly  to  one  side,  to  a  point 
of  safety,  and  then  settle  back  to  watch  the 

[176] 


REVENGE ! 

development  of  the  tragedy  in  which  his  ene- 
mies would  writhe  in  torture  and  anguish. 

Chijiwa's  mind  felt  a  perverse  delight  in  the 
contemplation  of  his  vengeance,  and  his  spirit, 
for  a  long  time  oppressed,  began  to  glow  with 
new  ardor  in  the  certainty  of  his  early  satis- 
faction. He  knew  too  well  the  character  of  the 
widow,  and  knew,  also,  that  she  had  not  been 
roused  to  such  anger  as  Takeo's  by  the  recent 
forgery.  He  knew,  too,  that  she  held  Takeo  in 
very  little  esteem,  thinking  him  still  an  in- 
experienced youth,  while  on  the  other  hand  she 
thought  very  highly  of  Chijiwa's  shrewdness 
and  clever  prudence.  And  finally  he  knew  that 
because  she  had  very  few  relatives,  and  not 
even  the  young  couple  was  living  with  her,  she 
must  feel  lonely  despite  her  habitual  mis- 
anthropy, and  therefore  inclined  to  receive 
courteously  those  persons  who  would  visit  her 
under  such  circumstances.  Thus  it  became 
fairly  easy  for  him  to  discover  in  advance  just 
what  probability  of  success  awaited  his  schemes. 

First  of  all  the  plotter  sent  Yamaki  to  the 
Kawashima  house  to  explore  the  territory  and 
especially  to  drop  false  rumors  about  the  exem- 
plary conduct  of  Chijiwa,  as  a  token  that  he 
had  repented  of  his  previous  faults. 

[177] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

One  evening,  toward  the  end  of  April,  he  was 
informed  that  Nami,  despite  the  most  assiduous 
attention,  gave  no  signs  of  becoming  any  better 
and  that  the  antipathy  of  her  mother-in-law 
toward  her  was  fast  changing  to  hate.  Taking 
advantage  of  the  absence  of  Takeo  and  that  of 
the  steward  Tazaki,  who  was  away  on  business, 
he  directed  himself  toward  the  Kawashima 
home,  which  he  had  not  entered  for  many 
months.  He  found  his  aunt  engrossed  in  deep 
meditation  caused  by  a  letter  from  Takeo  that 
she  still  held  in  her  hands. 

"No,  there  are  few,  if  any  signs  of  recovery, 
despite  the  immense  cost  of  the  treatment," 
said  the  widow.  "It's  already  more  than  two 
months  that  she's  ill  and  her  health  doesn't 
improve  at  all.  Honestly,  I  don't  know  what 
to  do  or  where  to  turn  now.  I'd  feel  a  little 
better  if  I  had  at  least  one  person  to  advise 
me.  You  know,  Takeo  is  little  more  than  a 
boy " 

"Oh,  I  understand  perfectly,  dear  aunt!  I 
feel  that  I  should  not  have  come  here  any  more, 
but  this  matter  is  such  a  sad  blow  to  the  house 
of  Kawashima  that  I  can't  stand  aloof,  above 
all  when  I  think  of  how  kind  you,  Takeo-san 
and  my  late  uncle  have  been  to  me.  It  was  this 

[178] 


REVENGE! 

that  caused  me  to  come  here  today.  It's  really 
too  bad,  dear  aunt ....  there  is  no  disease  more 
dangerous  than  tuberculosis.  And  you  know, 
it  often  comes  about  that  the  husband  catches 
it  because  of  living  with  his  wife.  I  even  know 
cases  in  which  an  entire  family  has  been 
stricken  with  consumption.  I'm  very  much 
concerned  for  Takeo;  if  you  don't  watch  out 
for  him  the  matter  might  assume  serious  pro- 
portions  " 

"You  are  right.  I  myself  dwell  in  great  fear 
and  several  times  I've  warned  Takeo  to  keep 
away  from  Zushi.  But  what's  the  use?  He 
doesn't  obey  me  at  all.  See,  see — "  and  she 
pointed  to  the  letter  in  her  hand.  "All  he 
speaks  of  is  his  wife, — and  what  the  doctor  says, 
and  what  the  nurse  is  doing,  and  so  on  and  so 
forth." 

Chijiwa,  laughing,  interrupted  her  com- 
plaints. 

"But,  my  dear  aunt,  it  can't  be  otherwise. 
The  love  of  a  husband  for  his  wife  can  never 
be  too  great.  Takeo 's  preoccupation  with  his 
wife  is  worthy  of  the  highest  praise." 

' '  Not  to  my  way  of  thinking.  Do  you  call  it 
right  to  disobey  one's  parents  because  of  a 
wife's  illness?" 

[179] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

Chljiwa  sighed. 

* '  How  rapidly  things  have  changed !  It  seems 
to  me  only  yesterday  that  Takeo  was  married, 
and  you  were  so  happy!  Today  the  crucial 
moment  in  the  fate  of  the  house  of  Kawashima 
has  arrived!  For  good  or  evil!  You  feel  no 
particular  sympathy  for  Nami's  parents,  do 
you?" 

"How  could  I?  What  have  I  ever  received 
from  them?  I  was  favored  with  a  more  or  less 
formal  visit  from  the  proud  lady,  who  brought 
me  an  insignificant  gift ....  and  that 's  no  token 
of  a  very  notable  deference.  We  've  been  visited 
two  or  three  times  by  the  Katos  ....  but  .  .  .  . " 

Chijiwa  again  sighed  deeply  and  said,  with 
an  expression  of  scorn,  "In  such  a  circum- 
stance as  this,  Nami's  parents  ought  to  do 
something  to  alleviate  our  grief !  How  can  they 
look  on  so  indifferently  and  abandon  that  sick 
woman  to  our  care !  The  world  is  too  selfish  . . . 
That 'sail!" 

"Without  a  doubt." 

"But  Takeo 's  health  must  be  our  first  con- 
cern. If  what  we  fear  should  ever  come  about 
....  it  is  the  end  of  the  house  of  Kawashima ! 
The  disease  can  show  up  at  any  time.  What's 

[180] 


REVENGE ! 

to  be  done!  Nothing.  Since  they're  man  and 
wife  it's  impossible  to  separate  them " 

"That  is  so.    It's  impossible." 

"But  it's  the  duty  of  parents  sometimes  to 
take  their  children  off  the  paths  that  they  have 
chosen.  Often  the  punishment  is  inflicted  ex- 
clusively for  the  future  good  of  the  children 
themselves.  Even  if  the  children  at  first  seem 
to  give  themselves  up  to  despair,  after  a  time 
they  become  reasonable  and  change  their 
minds " 

"That,  too,  is  very  true." 

"The  glorious  name  of  Kawashima  must  not 
be  permitted  to  die  out,  merely  because  of  a 
hesitation  to  interfere  with  a  love  affair  or 
through  pity  for  a  weak  creature ! ' ' 

"It  most  certainly  must  not!" 

"And  then,  if  they  were  to  have  a  child  .... 
it  would  be  the  end " 

"Naturally." 

When  Chijiwa  saw  that  his  aunt  made  no 
opposition  whatever  to  his  arguments  and  in- 
sinuations he  exulted  in  his  evil  heart  and 
soon  changed  the  topic  of  conversation.  He 
promised  himself,  however,  to  cultivate  quickly 
and  carefully  the  poisonous  seeds  he  had 
planted  in  the  widow's  heart,  so  that  he  might 

[181] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

soon  behold  the  fruits  of  destruction  and  death. 
And  he  knew  that  the  time  of  the  harvest  was 
not  far  away. 

Takeo  's  mother  was  not  in  herself  so  wicked 
as  to  hate  Nami  for  any  exclusively  personal 
reason.  She  really  took  account  of  Nami's 
willing  attempts  to  please  her  mother-in-law, 
and  despite  the  difference  in  their  breeding  and 
their  ideas,  she  could  not  help  being  pleased  at 
certain  similarities  of  tastes  and  thoughts. 
She  even  confessed  in  the  depths  of  her  own 
heart, — although  she  took  great  care  lest  any- 
one else  should  read  her  confession, — that  in 
her  own  youthful  days  she  had  been  far  from 
equalling  Nami's  sweet  character.  But  when, 
after  two  months  of  her  daughter-in-law's  ill- 
ness, she  began  to  be  convinced  that  Nami  was 
a  victim  of  a  terrible  plague,  she  was  seized 
with  the  fear  that  the  disease  could  spread  its 
fatal  consequences  to  others ;  and  when  she  saw 
clearly  that,  despite  all  the  money  and  care  ex- 
pended upon  the  young  wife,  there  was  no  hope 
of  an  early  recovery,  a  strange  feeling  of  dis- 
illusion and  antipathy  rose  in  her  soul.  She 
herself  was  unaware  of  the  rapid  development 
of  that  sense  of  aversion  which  became  deeper 
and  deeper  as  the  days  went  by.  And  while  that 

[182] 


REVENGE! 

feeling  grew,  as  a  result  of  the  worries  incident 
to  the  illness,  her  natural  reserve  broke  down 
and  her  hatred  developed  with  the  utmost 
violence. 

Chijiwa,  on  his  side,  watched  closely  the 
gradual  progress  of  the  evil  in  the  widow's 
heart,  and  in  his  renewed  visits  he  tried  to 
press  her,  directing  her  ideas  toward  a  definite 
conflict. 

By  the  time  that  Chijiwa 's  frequent  visits  to 
the  Kawashima  home  during  Takeo's  absence 
had  begun  to  appear  strange,  the  plotter  had 
already  put  into  operation  the  greater  part  of 
his  perfidious  plan,  and  already  complacently 
called  himself,  together  with  Yamaki,  the  author 
of  the  drama  upon  which  the  curtain  was  soon 
to  rise. 


[183] 


CHAPTER  VI 
Mother  and  Son 

DUEING  the  first  days  of  June  the  vessel 
to  which  Takeo  had  been  assigned  re- 
ceived orders  to  sail  from  Kure  to 
Saseho,  from  which  point  they  were  to  leave  for 
the  North  to  take  part  in  the  naval  maneuvers 
of  the  squadron,  which  was  to  assemble  in  the 
sea  of  Hakodate.  Because  he  would  be  gone 
for  a  month  he  went  one  night  to  his  home  to 
take  leave  of  his  mother.  For  some  time  the 
widow  had  been  very  angry  with  Takeo.  There 
was  no  doubt  that  someone  had  been  whispering 
things  into  her  ear. 

On  this  evening,  however,  she  received  Takeo 
with  unwonted  cordiality  and  warmth,  and  al- 
though as  a  rule  he  was  indifferent  to  small 
attentions,  he  nevertheless  felt  a  certain  em- 
barrassment at  this  unaccustomed  tenderness 
on  his  mother's  part. 

Every  son,  even  after  he  has  grown  up,  feels 
happy  in  the  thought  that  he  is  loved  by  his 
mother.  Takeo  was  all  the  more  sensitive  to 

[184] 


MOTHER  AND  SON 

such  manifestations  of  affection  after  the 
harshness  of  recent  months. 

After  a  frugal  supper  he  allowed  his  thoughts 
to  return  to  Nami,  and  while  he  was  taking  his 
bath,  feeling  the  large  drops  fall  upon  him  thick 
and  fast,  his  mind  went  back  to  his  visit  to 
Zushi  during  the  terrible  storm. 

Then  he  dreamed  of  the  happy  day  when 
Nami,  completely  recovered,  would  return  to 

his  home And  he  prayed  for  the  speedy 

coming  of  that  day  with  a  passionate  supplica- 
tion in  his  heart. 

Refreshed  by  the  bath,  and  wrapped  in  a 
comfortable  kimono  he  went  back  to  his 
mother's  room,  and  rubbed  his  forehead  with 
the  palm  of  his  right  hand,  while  his  lips  pressed 
the  end  of  a  lighted  cigar. 

The  widow  was  smoking  a  thin,  long  pipe, 
while  a  servant  was  massaging  her  back.  She 
raised  her  glance  and  said,  "Are  you  ready  so 
quickly?  You  remind  me  of  your  father. 
That 's  how  he  used  to  come  back  from  his  bath. 
Sit  down  on  this  cushion  here,  will  you?  Good, 
Matsu,  that's  enough.  Now  go  and  prepare 
some  tea." 

Madame  Kawashima  arose  and  took  a  plate 
of  cakes  from  the  table. 

[185] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

11  Mamma,  you're  showering  me  with  atten- 
tions, as  if  I  were  a  guest,"  observed  Takeo, 
laughing  and  flicking  the  ashes  off  his  cigar. 

1  'Takeo,  you  come  at  just  the  right  time.  I 
have  something  to  talk  over  with  you,  and  I've 
been  hoping  for  some  time  that  you'd  come. 
Today  ....  you  were  in  Zushi?" 

Takeo  knew  that  his  mother  disapproved  of 
his  frequent  visits  to  his  wife,  but  it  was  im- 
possible to  hold  them  secret. 

"Yes.  I  stopped  for  a  little  while.  It  seems 
she's  better.  She  feels  so  bad  at  the  thought 
of  giving  you  trouble!" 

"Really,  does  that  make  her  feel  bad?" 

She  scrutinized  her  son's  face  sharply  and 
uneasily. 

Meanwhile  the  tea  was  served.  The  widow 
turned  to  the  girl  who  had  brought  it,  saying, 
"We  don't  need  you  for  anything  else,  Matsu. 
Shut  the  door  tight." 

Then  she  placed  a  little  sugar  in  her  cup  and 
in  that  of  Takeo,  and  after  having  swallowed 
the  steaming  liquid  at  a  single  gulp  she  grasped 
her  long  pipe,  lighted  it  and  put  it  between  her 
lips. 

"I'm  suffering  from  my  rheumatism  again. 
Lately  it's  become  very  serious.  Yesterday  I 

[186] 


MOTHER  AND   SON 

visited  your  father's  tomb  and  my  joints  ache 
yet.  I  feel  that  I've  got  one  foot  in  the  grave 
already !  At  least  you,  Takeo,  had  better  take 
good  care  of  your  health." 

Takeo  shook  the  ashes  from  his  cigar  and 
looked  at  his  mother,  who,  despite  her  fleshy 
countenance,  had  very  few  wrinkles  on  her 
forehead. 

"I'm  always  away  and  there's  nobody  near 
you  to  take  care  of  the  house.  How  I  wish  that 
Nairn  would  recover,  and  return  to  help  you! 
That's  what  she  herself  is  always  saying!" 

"I  believe  that.  But  I'm  afraid  of  tuber- 
culosis." 

"But  she's  getting  better  now.  The  warm 
weather  is  coming  and  then  she's  very  young 
and  the  disease  can't  develop  any  further." 

"Even  if  she  is  getting  better,  we  can't  count 
on  a  rapid  recovery,  Takeo.  I  learned  from  the 
physician  that  her  mother  died  of  the  same 
disease " 

"That's  true.  She  told  me  so  herself. 
But " 

"Consumption  is  hereditary,  isn't  it?" 

"So  they  say,  but  Nami  fell  ill  as  the 
result  of  a  very  bad  cold.  Everything  depends 
upon  the  care  she  receives.  People  speak  of 

[187] 


THE    HEART    OP    NAMI-SAN 

epidemics  and  heredity,  when  very  often  the 
real  cause  lies  elsewhere.  You  know  how  strong 
Nami's  father  is,  and  what  a  healthy  young 
girl  Nami's  sister  is.  Certainly  0-Koma-san 
shows  no  disposition  toward  the  disease.  We  're 
not  at  all  so  weak  and  delicate  as  the  physicians 
would  like  to  have  us " 

Takeo  laughed. 

"It's  no  laughing  matter " 

She  emptied  her  pipe  by  striking  it  against 
her  open  palm,  and  resumed. 

"I  hold  that  tuberculosis  is  the  worst  of  all 
diseases.  Takeo,  you  know  Governor  Togo's 
family.  The  mother  of  the  boy  with  whom  you 
often  exchanged  blows  in  your  childhood  quar- 
rels died  of  consumption  two  years  ago.  Togo- 
san  himself  died  about  six  months  later,  of  the 
same  disease.  You  knew  that,  didn't  you? 
Well,  the  son,  employed  in  some  city  or  other 
by  the  government,  as  an  engineer,  died  several 
days  ago,  also  of  consumption.  All  of  this 
comes  from  the  illness  of  a  single  person  in  the 
family.  I  could  tell  you  other  similar  cases. 
Therefore  I  beg  you,  my  dear  Takeo,  take  care. 
Unless  we  exercise  the  utmost  caution  we'll  be 
unable  to  avoid  the  most  grievous  conse- 
quences. ' ' 

[188] 


MOTHER  AND  SON 

The  widow  laid  aside  her  pipe  and  leaned 
forward,  as  if  to  scrutinize  more  closely  the 
face  of  Takeo,  who  heard  her  in  silence.  Then 
she  continued.  "I  have  something  on  my  mind 
that  I  must  tell  you,  Takeo."  'A  light  shudder 
went  through  her  body,  then,  looking  directly 
at  him  she  said,  "You  know,  Nami.  .  .  .  ." 

He  raised  his  glance. 

1 *  What  would  you  say  to  having  Nami  re- 
called?" 

1 '  Recalled  ?    What  do  you  mean  ? ' ' 

"Yes.  If  she  were  recalled  to  the  house  of 
her  parents?" 

'  *  Her  parents  ?  Would  you  want  them  to  take 
care  of  her  during  her  illness  ? ' ' 

'  *  Certainly, — and  they  ought  to  think  of  that 
themselves.  In  any  case  you  should  be  pleaseol 
to  have  them  recall  her." 

"I  don't  understand  you.  Zushi  seems  to 
me  the  very  place  for  her.  At  the  Kataokas 
they  have  children.  If  you  really  want  her  to 
return  to  Tokyo  it  would  be  far  better  if  she 
were  to  come  here  with  us." 

The  mother  slowly  sipped  another  cup  of 
tea,  which  in  the  meantime  had  become  cold; 
then  she  said,  in  a  trembling  voice.  "Takeo, 
you're  not  drunk.  Then  why  do  you  pretend 

[189] 


THE   HEART   OP    NAMI-SAN 

not  to  understand  me?"  And  looking  sharply 
at  him,  she  added,  "I  mean  this:  we  must  send 
Nami  back  to  the  house  of  her  parents ! ' ' 

''Send  her  back?  Send  her  back?  Do  you 
mean  that  she  and  I  must  separate  ? ' ' 

''Softly,  Takeo.  Don't  speak  so  loudly!" 
And  looking  straight  at  her  son,  who  was  trem- 
bling convulsively,  she  continued, ' '  Separation  ? 
Very  well.  Call  it  that  if  you  wish " 

' '  Divorce  ?    But  why  ? ' ' 

"You  ask  me  why?  Because  of  what  I've  just 
told  you.  Because  of  the  dangerous  nature  of 
the  disease." 

"And  so,  because  of  her  illness, — you'd  want 
me  to  divorce  Nami?" 

"Precisely.  Despite  its  being  very  painful 
to  me,  too." 

' '  Divorce ! ' ' 

The  cigar  fell  from  Takeo 's  hand  into  the 
fireplace,  where  it  scattered  a  shower  of  sparks. 
The  lamp  hissed,  and  the  rain  of  the  stormy 
night  seemed  to  beat  with  greater  fury  against 
the  windows. 

The  widow  covered  the  smouldering  cigar 
with  ashes  and  resumed  her  talk  with  the  calm 
and  even  tone  of  one  who  is  intent  upon  per- 
suasion. 

[190] 


MOTHER  AND  SON 

"I'm  not  at  all  surprised  that  you  should  be 
shocked  at  the  first  hearing  of  this  thought. 
You  were  unprepared  for  it;  but  I  have  been 
thinking  about  it  for  many  days,  and  you,  in 
turn,  must  give  lengthy  consideration  to  what 
I  have  said.  I  have  nothing  against  Nami; 
there  isn't  anything  in  her  that  displeases  me 
in  any  particular  way,  and  besides,  you  love 
her.  For  this  reason  it  is  heartbreaking  for  me 
to  have  to  advise  you  to  divorce  her.  You  may 
say  what  you  wish,  but  the  dangerous  nature 
of  the  disease " 

"But  I  tell  you  that  she's  now  on  the  road 
to  recovery!"  exclaimed  Takeo  impetuously 
while  his  glance  rested  upon  his  mother  with 
an  expression  of  anguish. 

"Hear  what  I  tell  you.  It  may  be  that  for 
the  moment  the  illness  does  not  grow  more 
serious,  but  I  have  heard  from  doctors  that  this 
disease  takes  a  sudden  change  for  the  worse 
after  every  ephemeral  improvement.  A  change 
of  temperature  can  lead  to  a  relapse.  Nobody 
is  ever  completely  cured  of  consumption ;  that 's 
what  the  physicians  say.  Nami,  for  the  mo- 
ment, is  not  seriously  ill,  but  just  the  same 
she'll  keep  on  failing  and  in  the  end  you,  too, 
will  catch  it.  If  you  have  a  child  it  will  inherit 

[191] 


THE   HEART   OF    NAMI-SAN 

the  maternal  disease.  Think  not  only  of  Nami, 
but  of  yourself,  head  of  a  family,  and  of  your 
child  ....  the  heir  to  your  name  and  property 
....  all ....  all  dying  of  consumption.  .  .  .  The 
house  of  Kawashima  being  extinguished !  Can 
you  endure  the  idea  of  a  house  whose  power 
has  been  established  by  the  hard  work  of  your 
father,  of  a  house  that  has  enjoyed  the  special 
favor  of  the  Mikado,  being  ruined  when  you 
die?  Nami  is  much  to  be  pitied, — there's  no 
doubt  of  that.  You,  too,  will  suffer  greatly.  I 
myself,  as  your  mother,  propose  this  way  out 
with  great  reluctance  and  with  a  broken  heart. 
But  you  must  measure  the  things  that  are  at 
stake  and  reflect  upon  the  harm  that  may  come 
to  our  house  through  Nami.  Certainly  she  is 
to  be  pitied, — but  the  thought  of  you, — the  head 
of  a  family,  makes  resistance  necessary  in  this 
sad  crisis.  You  must  subject  your  feelings  to 
the  dictates  of  reason  and  do  what  I  've  advised. 
Don 't  forget  all  that  you  owe  to  your  house. ' ' 

Takeo  had  listened  in  silence.  Before  his 
mind  appeared,  as  clear  as  the  light  of  the  sun, 
the  figure  of  Nami  as  he  had  left  her  that 
morning. 

'  *  Mother,  I  can 't  do  such  a  cruel  thing ! ' ' 

[192] 


MOTHER  AND  SON 

"What?"  Her  voice  sounded  somewhat 
harsh  and  loud. 

"If  we  ever  did  that,  Nami  would  die." 

"Well,  since  it's  her  lot  to  die  anyway 

But  Takeo,  remember  that  I  'm  suffering  anxiety 
for  your  life.  And  I'm  worried  for  the  future 
of  the  Kawashimas." 

"Mother,  if  you're  thinking  of  me,  you  must 
feel  as  I  do.  No,  I  could  never  bring  myself 
to  do  anything  so  inhuman.  Under  no  circum- 
stances. She  is  still  very  young  and  can't  be 
of  very  much  help  to  you,  but  she  loves  you  even 
as  I  do.  And  how  can  I  divorce  an  innocent 
wife  merely  because  she's  ill?  That's  no 
reason.  And  why  is  it  impossible  for  consump- 
tion to  be  cured!  Nami  is  getting  along  finely. 
And  if  she  is  destined  to  die  of  it,  she'll  die  as 
my  wife!  The  disease  is  catching,  you  say? 
I'll  take  the  utmost  precaution  and  will  do  all 
you  advise  in  that  regard, — all  except  separate 
from  her.  That  I  cannot  do,  not  for  anything 
in  the  world.  I  cannot ! ' ' 

"Fie!  You  speak  only  of  Nami  and  think 
nothing  of  your  own  life  or  of  the  future  of  the 
Kawashimas. ' ' 

"And  you,  on  the  other  hand,  think  only  of 
my  life.  But  what  use  could  there  be  to  an 

[193] 


THE   HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

existence  woven  of  cruelty  and  dishonorable 
deeds?  Injustice  and  cruelty  have  never 
brought  prosperity  to  a  family.  A  divorce 
from  Nami  would  certainly  not  add  to  the  honor 
and  the  nobility  of  the  Kawashima.  No,  I  can- 
not separate  from  her.  Never !  Never ! ' ' 

Although  the  widow  was  prepared  to  en- 
counter a  certain  amount  of  resistance  from 
Takeo,  she  was  overcome  by  the  firmness  and 
the  resolution  he  displayed,  and  her  anger  was 
roused  to  a  high  pitch.  The  veins  of  her  fore- 
head swelled,  her  temples  throbbed  violently, 
and  the  hand  in  which  she  held  her  pipe  quivered 
several  times.  She  was  struggling  to  stifle  her 
rage  and  even  tried  to  smile  as  she  spoke. 

1  'Come,  now.  Don't  get  so  excited.  Think 
it  over  camly.  You  are  young  and  don't  know 
the  world.  But  you've  heard  the  proverb: 
Save  the  large  animal  by  sacrificing  the  small. 
Well,  Nami  is  now  the  small  animal.  The  house 
of  Kawashima — we  are  the  large  animal.  I 
pity  Nami,  and  her  parents,  too,  but  can  they 
expect  us  to  fall  ill  of  their  own  disease  and  to 
sacrifice  the  existence  of  the  Kawashimas  to 
an  unjustifiable  feeling  of  compassion?  And 
even  if  she  and  her  parents  were  to  condemn 
us, — such  a  thing  would  be  preferable  to  the 

[194] 


MOTHER  AND  SON 

ruin  of  our  house.  You  speak  of  injustice, — 
of  cruelty, — but  you  can  find  cases  like  ours 
on  every  side.  It  is  just  to  separate  from  one 's 
wife  when  she  does  not  help  to  increase  the 
honor  of  the  family ;  it  is  just  when  she  is  bar- 
ren or  is  stricken  by  a  dangerous  disease. 
That's  what  the  public  opinion  says,  isn't  it? 
The  teachings  of  tradition  are  above  discussion. 
In  a  case  such  as  the  present  the  parents  them- 
selves ought  to  come  of  their  own  accord  to 
take  back  their  daughter.  And  since  they  don't 
see  fit  to  do  so,  what  is  there  wrong  in  making 
them  understand  where  their  duty  lies?" 

"Public  opinion!  Tradition!"  he  retorted. 
But  we  have  no  right  to  do  wrong  just  because 
others  do  it.  Separate  because  of  illness! 
That's  the  brutal  custom  of  an  epoch  that  is 
fortunately  past!  And  even  if  this  were  an 
accepted  principle  today,  it  would  merit  noth- 
ing but  contempt.  We  are  not  obliged  to  fol- 
low the  standards  of  an  ancient  and  inhuman 
custom.  You  think  only  of  our  family.  But 
what  will  the  Kataoka  family  say  when  they  see 
that  a  daughter  has  been  sent  back  to  them 
almost  immediately  after  she  has  left  them? 
And  on  account  of  illness !  And  then,  how  can 
Nami  return  there  without  falling  a  prey  to  the 

[195] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

blackest  despair?  Just  imagine  that  1  was  ill 
with  lung  trouble,  and  that  they  were  to  take 
Nami  away  from  me  because  tuberculosis  is 
catching!  How  does  such  an  idea  strike  you? 
Well?  Isn't  it  the  same  thing?" 

"No,  it's  very  much  different.  Woman  is 
inferior  to  man." 

"Let  it  be  as  you  say!  But  as  far  as  the  life 
of  feelings  goes,  she  is  not  his  inferior!  Let 
us  examine  matters  from  this  more  practical 
point  of  view,  I  beg  you.  Nami,  in  recent  days, 
has  had  no  violent  attacks  and  now  she's  re- 
covering. If  I  were  to  follow  your  advice,  with- 
out a  doubt  I  should  be  the  cause  of  a  re- 
lapse. Can  you  take  such  a  burden  upon  your 
conscience?  Could  you  do  that  toward  a 
stranger, — let  alone  your  own  son's  wife? 
Can't  you  see  that  it  would  be  I  who  was  killing 
Nami?" 

Takeo  sobbed.  His  tears,  beyond  his  con- 
trol, scalded  his  cheeks  and  fell  upon  the  mat 
at  his  feet. 

The  widow  arose  impetuously  and  from  a 
shrine  brought  forth  an  ihai  or  wooden  tablet, 
upon  which  was  inscribed  a  Buddhistic  name. 
Then,  evoking  the  spirit  of  her  dead  husband 
she  turned  to  her  son,  saying,  "Takeo,  hear 

[196] 


MOTHER  AND  SON 

me.  You  may  pay  little  heed  to  my  command; 
but  dare  to  repeat  the  words  you  have  spoken 
before  the  spirit  of  your  father !  Repeat  them, 
if  you  dare !  The  spirits  of  your  ancestors  are 
listening  to  you !  Repeat  them,  rebellious  son ! ' ' 
She  looked  intently  at  Takeo  and  repeatedly 
struck  her  pipe  against  the  edge  of  the  fireplace. 
He,  who  was  usually  indulgent  and  patient  with 
his  mother,  grew  red  with  anger  and  with  dif- 
ficulty restrained  himself. 

"What,  mamma?  You  call  me  rebellious?" 
"And  isn't  that  just  what  you  are?  Isn't 
it  rebellion  when,  because  of  your  wife  you 
scorn  the  words  of  your  mother?  Isn't  it  dis- 
obedience to  squander  the  life  that  I  gave  you 
with  pain  and  have  preserved  at  the  cost  of 
countless  sacrifices?  Isn't  it  rebellion  when 
you  lead  a  house  to  ruin  despite  my  command- 
ments and  my  prayers  ?  You  are  a  disobedient 
son  and  trample  upon  your  most  sacred 
duties!  .  .  .  ." 

"But,  dear  mother,  humanity " 

"Enough  of  that  word  'humanity'.  You 
place  your  wife  before  your  parents!  Fool! 
You  think  only  of  your  wife  and  forget  your 
first  family!  Wretch!  You  speak  only  of 
Nami !  But  we  will  curse  you ! ' ' 

[197] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Takeo  bit  his  lips  and  large  tears  fell  from 
his  eyes. 

1  i  Mother !    Don 't  be  so  cruel ! ' ' 

"Cruel?" 

"I  never  spoke  that  word  till  just  now.  But 
today  you  don 't  seem  to  understand  me  at  all. ' ' 

"Why  don't  you  obey  me  and  consent  to 
separation  from  Nami?" 

"This " 

"No  hesitating!  Takeo,  hear  me:  you  must 
choose  between  your  wife  and  your  mother! 
Do  you  choose  Nami?  Do  you  place  her  before 
me  ?  Ah,  you  wretch ! ' ' 

In  a  rage  she  struck  the  edge  of  the  fireplace 
with  her  pipe,  which  was  shattered  to  frag- 
ments. Some  pieces  struck  violently  against 
the  opposite  wall. 

At  the  same  moment  behind  the  screen  there 
was  heard  a  stifled  exclamation  and  immediately 
a  trembling  voice  asked,  "May  I  come  in?" 

"Who  is  it?    What's  it  about?" 

"A  telegram." 

In  two  seconds  Takeo  had  torn  away  the  thin 
envelope  and  had  read  the  dispatch.  The  girl 
disappeared  at  once,  frightened  by  the  angry, 
dark  look  of  her  mistress.  But  in  that  short 
instant  the  widow 's  anger  began  to  cool  off  and 

[198] 


MOTHER  AND  SON 

mother  and  son  sat  down  opposite  each  other 
in  silence. 

The  rain  was  falling  in  torrents. 

At  last  the  woman  resumed  the  conversa- 
tion; her  eyes  still  preserved  an  expression  of 
anger,  but  her  words  did  not  sound  so  harsh 
as  before. 

"Takeo,  really,  I  have  only  your  good  in 
mind  when  I  insist  upon  a  separation.  You  are 
my  only  child,  and  my  only  consolation  is  to 
see  you  forge  ahead  courageously,  a  sound, 
healthy  man,  with  a  sturdy  family. ' ' 

Takeo,  who  had  sunk  into  a  deep  revery, 
raised  his  head,  and  pointing  to  the  telegram, 
said,  "I  have  just  received  orders  to  leave  at 
once.  By  tomorrow  morning  at  the  latest  I 
must  start  out.  I'll  not  return  sooner  than  a 
month  or  thereabouts.  In  the  meanwhile  you 
will  do  nothing,  and  will  take  care  that  Nami 
learns  nothing.  Wait  till  I  come  back. ' ' 

The  following  morning  Takeo  made  his 
mother  repeat  the  promise  not  to  take,  in  his 
absence,  any  steps  toward  effecting  a  separa- 
tion, and  the  widow  assured  him  that  she  would 
mention  the  subject  to  nobody.  He  left  for  the 
doctor's,  to  ask  him  to  take  special  care  of 

[199] 


THE   HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

Nami;  he  then  hastened  to  Zushi  by  the  after- 
noon train. 

When  he  got  off,  at  the  station,  the  sun  was 
setting  and  soon  the  sickle  of  the  crescent  moon 
could  be  faintly  discerned  against  the  golden 
sky.  Takeo  crossed  the  little  bridge  over  the 
stream  and  took  a  path  that  passed  through 
a  wood  which  was  already  invaded  by  the  twi- 
light. 1  ^ 

When  the  road  broadened  into  the  familiar 
little  valley,  and  he  could  make  out  from  afar 
the  outline  of  the  well  and  the  pail  that  hung 
from  its  place,  the  sound  of  a  harp  came  to  his 
ears. 

"It's  Nami  playing,"  thought  Takeo,  and  it 
seemed  that  his  heart  must  break.  He  paused 
for  several  instants  at  the  threshold,  drying 
his  tears. 

Nami  was  feeling  much  stronger  and  was 
seeking  relief  from  the  anxious  waiting  in  the 
sad  notes  of  the  instrument. 

At  once  she  noticed  that  something  was 
weighing  upon  Takeo 's  spirits,  but  he  tried  to 
evade  her  questions  and  said  that  he  was  tired 
from  not  having  fallen  asleep  until  a  very  late 
hour. 

They  sat  down  close  together,  to  the  supper 

[200] 


MOTHER  AND  SON 

that  was  always  ready,  as  if  the  master  were 
expected  every  night ;  but  Nami  could  not  bring 
a  morsel  to  her  mouth.  Courageously  she  tried 
to  hide  her  anxiety  with  a  forced  smile.  When 
the  time  for  the  last  train  to  leave  had  arrived, 
she  was  still  busy  sewing  buttons  on  his  coat 
and  brushing  his  cloak.  Takeo  could  stay  no 
longer  and  rose  to  go. 

Nami  clung  to  his  arm  and  asked,  in  a  broken 
voice,  "Is  it  already  time  for  you  to  leave  us, 
my  love?" 

"I'll  return  soon,  my  darling.  I  beg  you,  be 
prudent  and  take  good  care  of  your  health." 

Their  hands  had  joined  in  a  convulsive 
grasp. 

At  the  door  old  Iku  helped  him  put  on  his 
shoes  and  Mokei  approached  with  a  lantern  in 
his  hand,  ready  to  accompany  his  master  to  the 
station  and  to  carry  his  traveling  bag. 

"Good  Iku,  I'm  entrusting  my  Nami  to  your 
care  ....  Nami-san,  I  'm  going. ' ' 

1  *  Come  back  soon,  I  beg  you. ' ' 

Takeo  nodded.  He  walked  about  a  dozen 
steps  forward  by  the  uncertain  light  of  the 
lantern,  then  turned  around. 

Nami  was  erect  on  the  threshold,  motionless. 

[201] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Her  shoulders  were  covered  with  a  white  shawl. 
She  was  waving  a  handkerchief. 

* '  Come  back  soon ! ' ' 

"Yes,  Nami-san.  You'll  catch  cold Go 

inside,  please ! ' ' 

But  the  white  form  could  still  be  made  out 
against  the  obscure  background  when  he  turned 

around  for  a  second  time,  and  a  third 

Then  the  road  suddenly  plunged  into  darkness 
and  the  white  apparition  disappeared  before 
his  anxious  glance.  But  for  the  third  time  came 
the  weak  sound  of  a  voice  imploring  through 
tears,  "Come  back  soon!" 

Far  off,  almost  upon  the  edge  of  the  horizon, 
he  saw  the  round  curve  of  the  sickle-shaped 
moon  appear  and  disappear  behind  the  tops  of 
the  pines.  .  .  . 


[202] 


CHAPTER  VII 
The  Candidate  for  Nami's  Place 

THE  loud  shout  of  the  man  who  was  pull- 
ing the  kuruma  rapidly  along  announced 
to  the  Yamaki  household  the  arrival  of 
the  master. 

After  he  had  taken  his  bath,  he  sank  down 
upon  a  white  cushion,  with  his  legs  crossed  in 
the  manner  of  tailors,  turning  his  shoulders  to 
the  little  alcove  in  which  some  early  irises  were 
blossoming  in  an  earthen  vase.  His  look  was 
that  of  a  man  who  is  content  and  completely 
master  of  himself. 

Dinner  was  brought.  He  quickly  drank  some 
sake  and  cast  toward  the  servant  woman  who 
was  waiting  upon  him  a  look  expressive  of  hap- 
piness and  self-satisfaction  at  his  skill  in  set- 
tling affairs. 

A  servant  girl  entered  with  some  newspapers. 

4 'Well,  what's  the  news  in  Korea?  The  ulti- 
matum   What's  that?  China  is  hurrying 

troops?  Is  it  possible?  Japan  will  certainly 
send  some  of  hers.  War  looks  inevitable.  A 

[203] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

good  chance  to  make  money Come,  0-Suma, 

you  must  drink,  too,  in  celebration  of  the  great 
event." 

4 'Will  there  really  be  war?" 

"Looks  that  way.  Fine,  isn't  it?  Listen, 
0-Sumi,  I  Ve  got  some  more  good  news  for  you. 
I  saw  Chijiwa  a  little  while  ago,  and  he  tells 
me  that  the  affair  is  rapidly  approaching  a 
solution." 

"It's  decided,  then?    Does  Takeo  consent?" 

"Takeo?  He's  still  absent  and  they  can't 
win  his  consent  anyway.  But  0-Nami-san  had 
a  new  hemorrhage  and  the  widow  has  given 
up  her  last  hope,  and  has  made  up  her  mind  to 
complete  the  matter  during  Takeo 's  absence. 
That's  what  will  undoubtedly  happen  if  Chi- 
jiwa continues  to  press  her.  It  would  be  rather 
difficult  to  effect  this  plan  if  Takeo  were  here, 
so  the  widow  can't  wait  until  it's  accomplished. 
....  Now  everything  will  go  as  we  wish.  And 
now,  Your  Highness,  exult!" 

"0-Nami-san  is  to  be  pitied  1" 

"You're  certainly  queer!  When  you  were 
overwhelmed  with  pity  for  0-Toyo  your  one 
desire  was  to  get  rid  of  Nami-san,  and  now 
that  circumstances  favor  us  you  feel  compas- 
sion for  Nami-san.  Don 't  think  of  such  things ! 

[204] 


THE   CANDIDATE   FOR  NAMI'S  PLACE 

Think  rather  of  how  to  make  0-Toyo  take 
N  ami's  place." 

"But  I'm  afraid  Takeo,  when  he  finds  that 
Nami  has  been  taken  from  him  during  his  ab- 
sence, will  fly  into  a  fury." 

"Very  possibly.  But  what's  the  use  of  the 
anger  when  the  thing's  already  done?  And 
after  all,  Takeo  is  an  obedient  young  fellow. 
When  the  widow  will  weep,  he  '11  try  to  hush  up 
the  matter;  I'm  sure  of  that.  And  now  things 
are  going  from  good  to  better.  Let 's  talk  about 
more  important  affairs.  About  Mademoiselle 
0-Toyo We'll  wait  until  Takeo 's  excite- 
ment has  calmed  down  entirely.  Then  we'll 
send  O-Toyo  to  the  widow, — whether  she's  in- 
vited or  not, — under  the  pretext  of  having  her 
learn  good  manners  there.  Naturally  we  '11  pay 
for  her  maintenance  and  everything  else.  It 
won't  be  at  all  so  difficult  as  it  appears.  Every- 
thing depends  upon  the  widow's  good  humor. 
When  0-Toyo  will  be  Baroness  Kawashima, 
thus  fulfilling  her  dearest  wishes,  then  Takeo 's 
father-in-law  will  take  charge  of  the  affairs  of 
the  house.  For  Takeo  is  but  a  boy.  That  will 
be  excellent,  really.  But  now  let's  think  only 
of  O-Toyo." 

[205] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

"Will  you  have  a  little  rice?" 

"Never  mind.  This  is  really  a  day  of  double 
celebration.  O-Toyo  's  marriage  and  my  assum- 
ing charge  of  the  Kawashima  affairs.  You 
ought  to  take  care  of  her  education ;  you  're  for- 
getting to  teach  her  how  to  run  a  home.  O-Toyo 
will  never  know  how  to  perform  her  duties. 
This  continual  indolence  and  her  wild  behavior 
would  discourage  any  mother-in-law,  even  the 
goddess  Kwannon."1 

"Yes,  but  I  can't  educate  her  as  I  should 
like You're  always  saying. ..." 

' '  Enough.  I  hate  these  excuses Actions 

speak  louder  than  words.  I  '11  show  you  how  to 
educate  O-Toyo!" 

"Mademoiselle,  your  father  desires  to  see 
you ! ' ' 

Toyo  slowly  turned  at  the  sound  of  the  girl 's 
voice.  She  was  finishing  her  evening  toilette 
and  could  not  part  with  her  mirror. 

' '  Very  well.  A  moment. ' '  She  smoothed  her 
hair  and  asked,  "Take,  does  everything  seem 
all  right?" 

"Everything.  How  beautiful  the  mademoi- 
selle looks ! ' * 

1  Goddess  of  pity  and  mercy. 

[206] 


THE   CANDIDATE   FOE  NAMI'S  PLACE 

"  Thanks." 

She  looked  once  more  into  the  glass  and 
smiled. 

Take  removed  Toyo's  dressing  gown,  while 
she  repeated  in  a  meek,  but  warning  tone. 

"Your  father  is  waiting  for  you." 

"Yes,  yes.    I'm  coming." 

She  cast  a  long,  farewell  glance  into  the 
mirror  and  rapidly  crossed  the  rooms  that  led 
to  her  father's  study. 

"You  kept  us  waiting,  0-Toyo.  Come  here. 
Have  mamma  sit  down  and  prepare  to  serve. 
Fill  my  goblet.  See  here.  Don't  empty  the 
pitcher  by  turning  it  over  suddenly.  You  don't 
know  how  to  serve  sake  yet.  That's  it !  That's 
the  way !  Gracefully ! ' ' 

Yamaki,  whose  brains  were  beginning  to  be 
befogged  by  his  copious  libations,  continued  to 
drink  despite  his  wife's  advice,  and  observed, 
"O-Toyo  looks  very  beautiful  when  her  hair 
is  done  up  well.  Like  now.  Isn't  that  so, 
0-Sumi?  Her  complexion  is  perfect." 

Toyo  smiled  proudly  and  her  body  soon 
assumed  the  outline  of  the  letter  S. 

"She  is  as  graceful  in  appearance  as  she  is 
genteel  in  speech when  she 's  in  good  humor. 

[207] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Only  her  front  teeth  project  too  far,  like  her 
mother's." 

"Hush!     Hyozo!" 

0-Sumi  frowned.  Toyo  assumed  a  bitter- 
sweet expression. 

"Raise  the  corners  of  your  eyes  just  a  third 
of  an  inch  and  your  face  will  become  en- 
chanting ! ' ' 

' '  Hyozo !    What  are  you  saying ! ' ' 

0-Sumi  tried  to  dam  the  flood  of  her  hus- 
band's comments,  but  it  was  a  vain  effort. 

"Look!  Look!  Why  are  you  so  angry, 
O-Toyo?  That  doesn't  favor  the  expression  of 
your  face.  Don't  look  so  savagely.  See,  see, 
I  bring  you  good  news.  Pour  me  out  another 
beaker  for  my  pains,  and  I'll  tell  you  the  se- 
cret." He  emptied  the  beaker,  which  she  had 
filled  to  the  brim,  and  began  with  a  silly  laugh, 
"We  were  just  talking  about  Takeo-san." 

Like  a  horse,  who,  for  a  long  time  accustomed 
to  a  wretched,  almost  empty  stall,  suddenly  per- 
ceives the  odor  of  hay  mown  in  the  springtime, 
and  is  shocked  out  of  his  weakness,  so  0-Toyo 
was  shocked  and  cocked  her  ear. 

"You  scratched  out  the  picture  of  O-Nami, 
and  your  conjuration  worked  wonderfully." 

"Hyozo!" 

[208] 


THE   CANDIDATE   FOR  NAMI'S  PLACE 

Madame  O-Sumi  knit  her  eyebrows  for  the 
third  time. 

"Now  let's  come  to  the  point.  0-Nami-san 
is  very  ill,  and  therefore  she's  going  to  be 
separated  from  Takeo-san.  The  matter,  at 
present,  is  not  known  to  her  parents ;  Nami-san 
herself  knows  nothing  about  it.  But  it  will  all 
take  place  shortly.  Now  the  difficulty  lies  in 
finding  a  person  to  take  Nami's  place.  And 
here  is  the  main  idea.  Your  mother  and  I  want 
to  see  you  take  the  place  that  Nami-san  held. 
....  That  can 't  happen  all  of  a  sudden,  so  that 
at  first  we're  going  to  send  you  to  Madame 

Kawashima  to  be  educated Wait,  now. 

Don't  be  so  astonished.  We're  going  to  send 
you  as  a — candidate.  Understand  me  ?  This  is 
the  chief  point. ' ' 

He  paused  for  breath  and  then,  eyeing  his 
wife  and  his  daughter  with  a  wily  glance,  he 
resumed. 

"That's  the  chief  point,  0-Toyo.  Although 
it  may  be  premature,  I  want  to  impress  it  upon 
your  mind  from  the  very  start.  As  you  know, 
the  mother  of  Takeo-san  is  widely  noted  for 
her  obstinate,  selfish,  fussy  character.  Oh,  I 
beg  your  pardon !  I  forgot  that  she 's  going  to 
be  your  mother-in-law !  For  the  rest,  she 's  cer- 

[209] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

tainly  not  an  amiable  woman,  like  your  own 
mother,  for  example!  Your  future  mother-in- 
law  is  neither  a  serpent  nor  a  devil;  she's  a 
human  being.  And  by  using  a  great  deal  of 
tact,  you  could  easily  become  the  daughter-in- 
law  even  of  a  she-devil  or  a  monster.  If  I  were 
only  a  woman  I'll  bet  that  I'd  have  widow 
Kawashima  as  soft  as  mush, — and  not  only  her, 
but  even  a  worse  witch.  My  skill  can't  serve 
you,  but  it  can  teach  you  to  act  with  cunning. 
Pay  good  heed  to  what  I  tell  you,  0-Toyo. 
When  you  will  be  situated  in  that  house  as  her 
aide, — that  is,  as  a  candidate  for  marriage, — 
(that's  a  secret,  of  course),  you  mustn't  be  as 
lazy  as  you  are  now.  You  must  get  up  early  in 
the  morning, — you  know  that  old  folks  like  her 
are  early  risers, — and  you  must  put  all  her 
things  in  order,  even  to  the  exclusion  of  other 
matters.  And  you  mustn't  be  so  touchy  as  you 
are  now.  You  must  always  appear  meek,  un- 
derstand? You  must  submit  even  when  she 
scolds  you  bitterly,  and  must  humiliate  your- 
self when  she  orders  you  to  do  something  un- 
reasonable. You  must  give  in  even  if  you're 
right.  If  you'll  do  as  I  say  she'll  insist  that 
you  never  leave  her.  That  is  the  sense  in  which 
you  must  understand  the  proverb:  'In  defeat 

[210] 


THE   CANDIDATE   FOE  NAMI'S  PLACE 

lies  half  the  victory.'  You  mustn't  be  cross, 
do  you  hear?  In  the  third  place,  and  this  may 
be  a  little  premature,  but  I  tell  it  to  you  now 
because  this  is  a  good  opportunity ;  in  the  third 
place,  suppose  that  you  have  already  married 
him.  You  musn't  let  it  appear  that  you're  too 
happy  with  him.  Naturally  it  makes  no  dif- 
ference to  me  how  you  act  toward  him  when 
you  are  alone  with  each  other.  .  .  .  But  what 
I  want  to  impress  upon  you  is  that  you  have  a 
care  about  the  opinions  of  outsiders.  More- 
over, you  must  be  very  affable  toward  your 
mother-in-law,  but  you  must  act  a  trifle  proud 
toward  your  husband,  and  it  wouldn't  be  so 
bad  if  you  'd  give  him  a  little  lesson  occasionally 
in  the  presence  of  his  mother.  A  mother  should 
be  very  happy  to  find  that  her  son  is  very  ^nauch 

loved  by  his  wife,  but  it 's  strange it  isn  't 

usually  that  way.  It's  a  matter  of  jealousy  or 
of  pure  selfishness.  Besides,  if  you  become  too 
fond  of  your  husband,  there's  a  danger  of 
slighting  your  mother-in-law, — or  at  least,  she  '11 

think  you're  slighting  her 0-Nami-san, 

from  the  looks  of  things,  committed  this  very 
error,  showing  her  great  love  for  Takeo  too 
plainly.  The  differences  between  mother-in- 
law  and  daughter-in-law  often  arise  from  the 

[211] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

fact  that  the  mother  is  left  to  herself  while  the 
young  couple  is  too  happy.  So  that  you  want 
to  make  it  a  point  to  remember  your  mother-in- 
law.  In  a  short  time  the  old  lady  will  go  to 
her  rest  and  then  ....  for  my  part  you  can  go 
out  walking  with  your  arms  about  Takeo's 
neck!  But  in  the  presence  of  your  mother-in- 
law  you  mustn't  make  eyes  at  him.  I'll  have 
plenty  more  advice  to  give  you,  but  that  can 
wait  for  later.  Meanwhile  let  the  three  rules 
I've  laid  down  for  you  suffice.  In  order  to  be- 
come the  wife  of  your  darling  Takeo  you  '11  have 
to  learn  to  master  yourself.  Let  your  appren- 
ticeship begin  from  this  moment." 

As  he  spoke  the  maid  Take  entered  the  room. 

"An  answer  is  expected,"  she  said,  handing 
the  head  of  the  house  an  envelope  addressed  in 
a  feminine  handwriting. 

No  sooner  had  Yamaki  broken  the  seal  and 
cast  his  eye  across  the  letter  than  he  waved  it 
before  the  eyes  of  his  wife  and  his  daughter. 

* '  There !  Bead  that !  The  widow  Kawashima 
asks  to  see  me  directly!" 

Two  weeks  after  Takeo  had  left  for  the  naval 
maneuvers  and  several  days  before  the  note 
written  by  the  widow  to  Yamaki,  Nami  had 
suffered  another  hemorrhage.  The  physician 

[212] 


THE   CANDIDATE   FOE  KAMI'S  PLACE 

was  urgently  summoned  and  fortunately  the 
attack  was  a  light  one,  but  it  was  serious  enough 
for  the  widow  to  decide  to  carry  out  her  plans 
at  once. 

A  day  or  two  later  the  widow  Kawashima, 
who  rarely  left  her  house,  might  have  been  seen 
making  her  way  to  the  home  of  the  Katos  on 
lida  street. 

On  the  evening  in  which  she  had  spoken  of 
the  eventual  divorce  from  Takeo,  the  latter  had 
opposed  such  strong  resistance  that  the  widow 
had  been  forced  to  promise  to  delay  all  decision 
until  his  return. 

She  felt  a  great  doubt  that  he  would  follow 
her  advice,  fearing,  on  the  contrary,  that  his 
love  for  Nami  would  increase  during  his  griev- 
ous absence  and  that  upon  his  return  he  would 
be  less  disposed  than  ever  to  agree  with  her 
suggestions ;  or  perhaps  in  the  meantime  some- 
thing would  happen  to  spoil  her  plans. 

For  these  reasons  she  thought  it  better  to  act 
while  Takeo  was  away. 

She  could  not  completely  stifle  remorse  at  be- 
traying the  promise  she  had  allowed  him  to 
wrest  from  her,  it  is  true,  and  it  was  this  feel- 

[213] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

ing  that  had  caused  her  delay,  despite  Chi- 
jiwa's  urgent  solicitations. 

The  new  hemorrhage  of  Nami's,  however, 
was  the  last  straw ;  the  widow  made  up  her  mind 
to  visit  the  Katos,  who  had  been  the  inter- 
mediaries in  the  marriage  of  Takeo  to  Nami. 

The  Katos  did  not  live  far  away.  The  home 
of  the  Kawashimas  was  as  near  to  lida  street 
as  the  nose  is  to  the  eyes  on  the  human  face. 
Yet  the  widow  had  set  foot  in  the  viscountess 's 
home  but  once, — after  the  marriage  of  Takeo 
to  Nami,  on  a  mere  visit  of  thanks  to  the  inter- 
mediaries. 

Her  coming,  therefore,  awoke  apprehension 
on  the  part  of  Madame  Kato,  who  at  once  sus- 
pected a  disagreeable  piece  of  news. 

She  received  the  widow  very  politely.  But 
when  she  learned  the  motive  of  the  call  her 
courage  ebbed  as  if  the  news  had  pierced  her 
heart.  She  had  never  supposed  that  the  same 
hands  which  had  tied  the  knot  between  the 
Kataoka  and  the  Kawashima  families  would  be 
asked  to  sever  it ! 

Madame  Kato  was  bewildered  and  intensely 
surprised  to  see  with  what  impudence  the  old 
woman  had  come  to  her  and  spoken  her  in- 
human words  without  a  blush!  Indeed,  the 

[214] 


THE   CANDIDATE    FOR  NAMI'S  PLACE 

widow  preserved  an  upright,  dignified  behavior, 
sitting  with  her  robust  body  erect  and  with  her 
hands  upon  her  knees.  She  was  very  evidently 
speaking  in  all  seriousness,  with  absolute  con- 
viction. The  viscountess  at  last  was  forced  to 
break  the  silence  and  respond  to  the  widow's 
proposal. 

It  was  the  widow  Kawashima's  turn  to  be 
surprised  and  angered,  for  the  rage  aroused  in 
Madame  Kato  by  the  old  woman 's  words  found 
free  vent  in  burning  phrases,  which  fell  from 
the  speaker 's  lips  like  whip-strokes,  lashing  the 
malice  and  egotism  of  the  mother-in-law. 

Suddenly,  while  she  was  uttering  these 
words  under  the  influence  of  a  violent  emotion, 
the  great  affection  that  she  felt  for  Nami,  whom 
she  had  been  accustomed  to  looking  upon  as  her 
second  daughter,  illuminated  her  mind,  show- 
ing her  that  her  rebuke  might  bring  even 
greater  harm  to  the  unhappy  girl. 

With  great  effort  she  succeeded  in  mastering 
her  fury  and  asked  the  other  woman  to  explain 
to  her  clearly  the  reasons  that  could  justify  her 
demand  for  a  separation,  and  with  sharp  logic 
she  sought,  with  a  calmness  born  of  the  intense 
scorn  she  felt,  to  combat  the  arguments  ad- 
vanced by  the  widow  Kawashima. 

[215] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

She  tried  to  imagine  herself  in  the  widow's 
place,  and  forced  herself  to  express  sympathy, 
and  finally  begged  indulgence. 

But  these  entreaties  found  no  response  in  the 
widow's  heart.  Her  look  revealed  the  disdain 
she  felt  for  such  fruitless  discussion ;  at  length 
she  said  plainly  that  the  only  thing  left  was  to 
transmit  the  message  to  Nami's  parents. 

As  she  listened  to  the  woman's  cruel  words 
Madame  Kato  summoned  to  her  mind  the  image 
of  sick  Nami ....  she  recalled  the  death  of  her 
own  sister,  Nami's  mother,  and  the  thought  of 
the  anguish  that  the  general  would  feel  for  his 
daughter's  misfortune  tugged  at  her  heart. 

The  thought  increased  her  bitterness  and 
tears  were  now  falling  from  her  eyes.  Madame 
Kato,  summoning  all  her  courage,  expressed 
her  scorn  anew  in  biting  words.  "My  husband 
and  I  had  the  honor  of  uniting  the  two  families. 
But  as  to  committing  the  infamy  that  you  ask  of 
us,  we  refuse  absolutely  to  disgrace  ourselves 
by  being  parties  to  the  perpetration  of  so  un- 
just and  inhuman  a  project." 

The  widow  left  in  a  rage,  and  that  very  night 
she  wrote  to  Yamaki,  for  she  feared  that  the 
upright  Tazaki  was  not  wily  enough  for  such 
a  trying  task.  On  her  side  Madame  Kato  was 

[216] 


THE   CANDIDATE   FOR  KAMI'S  PLACE 

furious,  and  could  come  to  no  decision  in  the 
absence  of  her  husband. 

Nevertheless,  with  the  aid  of  Chizu  she 
sought  to  discover  where  Takeo  's  vessel  was  at 
present  situated  and  wrote  him  an  urgent  let- 
ter, telling  him  of  the  danger  that  had  arisen 
during  his  absence  to  threaten  his  domestic 
happiness. 

This  she  did  because,  despite  the  widow's 
insinuations,  she  did  not  believe  that  Takeo  was 
in  accord  with  the  plan  of  divorce,  and  main- 
tained that  the  affair  was  being  prosecuted 
without  his  knowledge. 

Meanwhile  the  widow  had  decided  to  address 
her  demand  for  a  divorce  directly  to  Nami's 
parents.  This  is  what  she  had  entrusted  to 
Yamaki,  whose  kuruma  was  now  rolling  towards 
the  Kataoka  home. 


[217] 


CHAPTER  VIII 
Yamaki's  Talk  with  the  General 

YAMAKI  'S  kuruma  arrived  before  the  gen- 
eral 's  door  at  the  very  moment  in  which 
an  officer  of  proud  and  haughty  mien  ap- 
peared, mounted  on  his  horse. 

At  the  sound  of  the  kuruma  that  passed 
rapidly  by  him  the  horse  was  frightened  and 
arose  on  his  hind  legs.  The  officer  checked  him, 
holding  the  reins  in  a  powerful  grasp,  so  that 
the  animal  jumped  a  few  more  paces,  while  his 
bit  was  covered  with  foam.  Then  brusquely  the 
officer  spurred  him  on  to  a  full  gallop. 

Yamaki,  surprised  and  struck  at  the  sight 
of  the  imposing  officer,  brushed  the  dust  from 
his  clothes  and  timidly  approached  the  magni- 
ficent main  entrance. 

He  was  accustomed  to  visiting  the  homes  of 
government  officials  on  matters  connected  with 
his  business,  yet  never  before  had  he  felt  such 
a  consciousness  of  his  inferiority. 

The  night  before,  too,  when  the  widow  had 
charged  him  with  this  message,  he  had  felt 

[218] 


YAMAKI'S    TALK   WITH   THE    GENERAL 

something  akin  to  this  same  strange  emotion. 
But  now,  face  to  face  with  the  moment  of  carry- 
ing out  his  mission,  he  himself  was  surprised 
at  his  weakness  of  spirit,  which  he  had  been 
used  to  consider  as  cold  and  impassive  as 
bronze. 

He  sent  in  his  card,  and  the  servant,  return- 
ing, led  him  into  the  general's  reception  room. 
On  the  table  was  spread  out  a  map  represent- 
ing China  and  Korea.  Several  matches  and  a 
heap  of  cigar  ashes  indicated  that  somebody 
had  lately  been  working  nearby. 

Indeed,  the  uprising  in  Korea,  the  movement 
of  Chinese  troops,  the  rumor, — rapidly  gaining 
credence, — that  a  Japanese  expedition  had  been 
sent  thither,  had  aroused  the  entire  world,  and 
although  General  Kataoka  was  in  the  reserve 
army,  all  these  matters  so  occupied  his  time 
and  attention  that  for  the  present  he  was 
forced  to  renounce  even  his  daily  lesson  in 
English. 

Yamaki  sat  looking  inquisitively  about  him. 
After  several  moments  he  heard  footsteps  that 
sounded  like  claps  of  thunder  and  a  man  as 
massive  as  a  mountain  entered  the  room,  stop- 
ping before  Yamaki. 

The    latter,    upon    the    appearance    of    the 

[219] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

general,  had  bounced  to  his  feet  so  violently  that 
the  chair  had  been  overturned.  Murmuring 
phrases  of  excuse  he  lifted  it  up,  and  then,  in 
utter  embarrassment,  bowed  repeatedly  before 
the  general. 

"I  pray  you,  be  seated.  You  are  Yamaki? 
I  knew  your  name,  but — ' 

"I  am  exceedingly  honored  to  make  the 
acquaintance  of  the  general.  I  am  Hyozo 
Yamaki,"  said  the  visitor,  in  the  tone  of  one 
who  wishes  to  show  respect  and  deference. 
"Pardon  my  awkwardness.  I  hope  I  may  merit 
your  good  graces." 

After  each  phrase  he  made  a  low,  awkward 
bow,  and  his  chair  would  creak  most  discon- 
certingly. And  when  he  said  '  *  Pardon  my  awk- 
wardness" the  creaking  of  the  chair  seemed  to 
say,  "You  certainly  are  awkward,  my  boy!" 

There  ensued  several  insignificant  phrases 
about  various  subjects,  and  on  the  probability 
of  war  in  Korea,  and  then  the  general  formally 
inquired  as  to  the  purpose  of  Yamaki 's  visit. 

Yamaki  brushed  the  dust  off  his  clothes 
ostentatiously,  trying  to  open  his  lips.  Three 
times  he  made  the  same  attempt,  surprised  and 
angered  that  his  words,  usually  so  ready  to 

[220] 


YAMAKI'S  TALK  WITH  THE  GENERAL 

flow  from  his  tongue,  should  now  remain  stuck 
in  his  throat. 

At  last  he  found  speech. 

"I  come  on  behalf  of  the  Kawashima  family, 
with  reference  to  a  certain  matter " 

The  general  raised  an  astounded  countenance 
to  Yamaki's  glance. 

"Well?" 

"Madame  Kawashima  would  have  come  her- 
self ....  but  she  asked  me  to  represent  her." 

"I  don't  understand." 

Yamaki  passed  his  hand  across  his  forehead, 
but  despite  this  precaution  the  beads  of  per- 
spiration ran  down  his  face. 

' '  She  wanted  to  have  Viscountess  Kato  come 
in  her  place,"  he  continued,  "but  since  that 
lady  declined  the  invitation,  I  was  chosen — " 

"Well.    And  to  what  purpose?" 

'  *  It  concerns  ....  I  am  pained  and  grieved  to 
have  to  communicate  it  to  you  ....  but  Madame 
Kawashima  ....  your  worthy  daughter " 

The  general  frowned  and  raised  his  eyes 
directly  to  Yamaki's  own,  not  removing  his 
glance. 

"Well,  and  then?" 

"It  concerns  the  young  baroness.  We  hesi- 
tate to  say  it, — but  we  are  very  much  disturbed 

[221] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

because  of  her  prolonged  illness,  as  you  know, 
and  although  it  is  now  improving,  which  is  a 
cause  of  great  pleasure  to  us " 

"Continue." 

"We  are  deeply  grieved  that  we  are  forced 
to  speak  these  things,  but  since  her  disease  is 
of  a  dangerous  nature,  and  since  ....  the 
Kawashima  family  is  small.  .  .  .As  Your 
Excellency  knows,  the  present  head  of  the 
family,  Takeo-san,  is  the  sole  remaining  male 
descendant.  Therefore  the  widow  is  very  un- 
easy as  regards  him.  We  are  very  sorry  to 
say  it,  but  since  her  illness  is  of  an  epidemical 
nature,  if  Takeo  were  to — ,  but  no,  there  is  no 
probability  that  this  sad  case  should  befall,— 
and  yet,  it  is  better  to  look  ahead If,  per- 
chance, Takeo,  the  head  of  the  family,  should 
fall  ill,  then  the  extinction  of  the  Kawashima 
family  would  be  decreed.  We  know  very  well 
that  today  the  matter  does  not  look  very  im- 
portant. To  tell  the  truth, — and  it's  very  pain- 
ful for  me  to  have  to  say  it  ....  but  the  nature 
of  the  disease  is  such  that.  ..." 

Yamaki  continued  to  entangle  himself.  Large 
drops  of  perspiration  rolled  down  from  his  fore- 
head while  he  stammered  worse  than  ever  as 
his  talk  proceeded. 

[222] 


YAMAKI'S    TALK   WITH   THE    GENERAL 

The  general,  who  watched  him  with  unaltered 
calm,  at  last  raised  his  right  hand. 

"Very  well.  I  have  understood  you  per- 
fectly. Summing  it  up:  Because  Nami's  ill- 
ness is  dangerous,  you  want  me  to  take  her 
back  ?  You  see,  I  've  understood  exactly. ' ' 

He  placed  his  cigar  upon  the  ash-tray  and 
crossed  his  arms.  He  looked  like  one  who  has 
at  last  emerged  from  an  embarrassing  situa- 
tion. 

Yamaki  breathed  with  relief,  but  furrowed  his 
forehead  as  he  said,  "You  understand  me  very 
well,  Sir  General,  and  it  is  with  deep  grief  that 
I  have  fulfilled  this  mission.  ...  I  hope  that 
you  will  not  interpret  ill  my  .  .  .  ." 

"Has  Takeo  yet  returned?" 

"No,  not  yet.  Naturally,  however,  he  is  in- 
formed about  everything. ' ' 

"Very  well." 

The  general  nodded  assent,  then  closed  his 
eyes  for  several  instants,  remaining  motionless, 
with  his  arms  crossed.  Yamaki 's  face  betrayed 

his  satisfaction The  enterprise  had  been 

consummated  without  any  great  difficulty,  so 
that  now  he  could  gaze  upon  the  general  calmly 
as  he  shut  his  eyes  and  pressed  his  lips.  But 
even  then  he  felt  in  the  behavior  of  his  host  an 
indefinable  something  that  inspired  respect. 

[223] 


THE    HEART    OP   NAMI-SAN 

"Yamaki-kun " 

The  general  opened  his  eyes  and  looked 
straight  into  Yamaki 's  eyes. 

"I  suppose  that  you  have  children,  haven't 
you  ? "  he  inquired. 

Yamaki,  who  could  not  guess  the  general's 
purpose  in  asking  such  a  question,  bowed. 

"Yes,  sir.    A  son  and  a  daughter." 

"Yamaki-kun,  you  know  how  much  a  father 
can  love  his  children  ? ' ' 

"Certainly." 

"Very  well And  now,  reverting  to  your 

request,  I  beg  you  to  communicate  to  the  widow 
Kawashima  the  assurance  that  she  may  rest 
easy.  Nami  shall  be  sent  for  this  very  day. 
I  am  sorry  to  give  you  any  trouble  in  this 
matter. ' ' 

Yamaki  saluted  the  general  by  bowing 
slightly  some  seven  or  eight  times  in  succession. 
Was  it  from  compassion,  and  was  he  asking  for- 
giveness for  the  trouble  he  had  caused,  or  was 
it  from  satisfaction  at  having  brought  the  affair 
to  so  successful  a  conclusion?  Who  can  tell? 

The  general  accompanied  Yamaki  to  the  ves- 
tibule ;  then  he  went  back  to  his  study  and  locked 
himself  in. 

[224] 


CHAPTER  IX 

Nami  Returns  to  Her  Father's 
Home 

AFTEE  the  departure  of  Takeo,  Nami  felt 
abandoned.  .  .  .  Days  seemed  centuries, 
but  long  as  they  were  they  dragged  by, 
and  now  more  than  a  month  had  passed.  The 
harvest  had  been  gathered  and  it  was  already 
the  wild  lily  season. 

At  times  Nami  lost  all  hope  of  recovery,  but 
fortunately  her  physician  succeeded  in  instill- 
ing the  belief  of  a  continuous  improvement,  and 
she  regained  her  courage. 

Cheered  by  a  letter  lately  received  from 
Takeo,  who  was  at  Hakodate,  she  tried  to  follow 
scrupulously  the  advice  of  her  doctor,  and  to 
await  with  utmost  patience  the  return  of  her 
husband.  "Ah,"  she  thought,  "although  I  no 
longer  look  so  wan,  I'm  not  so  well  as  I  was 
before  my  recent  hemorrhage.  But  I  mustn't 
let  Takeo  notice  that."  And  she  counted  im- 
patiently the  days  she  must  wait  for  his  return. 

[225] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

In  the  last  few  days,  however,  all  communi- 
cation with  Tokyo  had  been  interrupted.  She 
had  not  received  a  line  from  her  mother-in-law, 
from  her  parents  or  even  any  word  from  her 
aunt. 

To  pass  the  time  she  was  seeking  distraction 
in  arranging  the  wild  lilies  in  a  glass  vase,  and 
turning  to  the  woman  who  had  just  entered 
with  a  jar  of  water,  she  said,  " Doesn't  it  seem 
strange  to  you,  Iku,  that  no  mail  arrives?" 

''It  certainly  does,"  replied  the  servant. 
"Of  course  they  must  all  be  well,  and  have 
nothing  new  to  write  you.  It  won 't  be  long  be- 
fore news  comes,  and  who  knows  but  what  it'll 

arrive  this  very  day How  beautiful  these 

flowers  are!     Oh!     If  only  the  baron  returns 
before  the  lily  season  is  over ! " 

Nami  looked  at  the  flowers  she  held  in  her 
hand,  and  exclaimed,  "They  are  really  magni- 
ficent! But  I  think  it  would  have  been  better 
to  let  them  bloom  where  they  were  born.  Why 
cut  them  from  their  stems  before  their  time? 
It's  cruel!" 

At  that  moment  a  kuruma  was  heard  before 
the  door.  The  viscountess  Kato  had  arrived. 

Ever  since  she  had  been  forced  to  decline  the 
widow   Kawashima's    mission    she   had   been 
unable  to  find  peace;   she  soon  went  to  the 
[226] 


NAMI  RETURNS  TO  HER  FATHER'S  HOME 

Kataokas  where,  with  intense  surprise,  she 
learned  that  she  had  just  been  preceded  by 
Yamaki,  who  had  left  with  the  general's  formal 
promise.  She  was  stricken  with  keen  pain  not 
only  at  the  thought  that  her  plan  for  awaiting 
Takeo  's  return  was  thus  destroyed,  but  also  to 
see  that  the  matter  had  already  proceeded  so 
far.  And  since  there  remained  nothing  to  do, 
she  desired  at  least  to  see  her  niece  at  Zushi, 
to  prepare  her  tactfully  for  the  return  to  her 
father's  roof.  Not  without  reason  did  the 
general  fear  the  effect  of  this  sad  announce- 
ment upon  his  daughter,  for  the  blow  would 
fall  all  the  more  cruelly  since  it  was  so  un- 
expected. 

"How  happy  I  am  to  see  you,  dear  auntie! 
We  were  just  this  moment  talking  about  all  of 
you!" 

"I'm  really  so  glad  that  the  Madame  Vis- 
countess has  come, ' '  added  Iku,  and  then,  turn- 
ing to  Nami,  "See,  my  lady,  I  was  right!" 

"Well,  now,  my  dear  Nami-san,  how  do  you 
feel?  From  the  way  you  look,  you've  had  no 
trouble  since  your  last  attack.  Have  you?" 

Madame  Kato  could  not  face  Nami's  clear, 
unsuspecting  look  without  a  shudder. 

"Thanks,  auntie,"  replied  Nami.     "I  feel 

[227] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

better.  But  how  are  you  ?  You  don 't  look  very 
well." 

"I?  Oh,  I  have  a  slight  headache Have 

you  heard  from  Takeo  recently?" 

"Yes,  auntie.  He  wrote  me  day  before  yes- 
terday from  Hakodate.  He  says  he  will  re- 
turn soon,  but  the  exact  day  hasn't  yet  been 
arranged.  He  promises  to  bring  me  a  wonder- 
ful gift " 

"Really?  Did  he  write  you  all  that?"  asked 
Madame  Kato.  Then,  uneasily,  she  added,  *  *  It 
must  be  late.  Is  it  two  o'clock  yet?" 

"What  is  your  hurry,  auntie ?  You  know  that 
you're  perfectly  at  home  here.  Make  yourself 
comfortable.  How  is  0-Chizu-san  ? ' ' 

"She's  well.  And  she  asks  me  to  give  you 
her  best  wishes." 

As  she  spoke  these  words  she  took  the  cup 
of  tea  that  Iku  handed  to  her,  but  engrossed  as 
she  was  in  a  single  thought  she  forgot  to  bring 
it  to  her  lips,  and  placed  it  down  again. 

"Please,  Madame  Viscountess,"  repeated 
Iku,  astonished.  "Would  you  like  to  have  some 
of  our  nice  fresh  fish?" 

"Yes,  thanks,  Iku." 

Nami's   aunt   shook  herself,   as  if  awaking 

[228] 


NAMI  RETURNS  TO  HER  FATHER'S  HOME 

from  a  bad  dream,  cast  a  glance  at  her  niece 
and  turned  away. 

"No,  no.  I  haven't  any  time  today.  Nami- 
san,  dear,  you  must  come  with  me." 

"Come  with  you!    Where?" 

Nami  was  greatly  surprised. 

"Yes,  Nami-san.  Your  father,  upon  the 
advice  of  the  doctor,  with  whom  he  has  con- 
ferred in  regard  to  your  illness,  wants  to  have 
you  near  him  for  a  little  while.  Your  mother- 
in-law  ....  is  also  willing." 

"He  wants  me  near  him?    But  why!" 

"Because  of  your  illness,  as  I  have  just  ex- 
plained. Besides,  for  a  long  time  he  has  felt 
your  absence  keenly." 

"Beally?" 

Nami  looked  incredulously  at  her  aunt  and 
old  Iku,  too,  shook  her  head  in  token  of  her 
suspicions. 

"But  the  Madame  Viscountess  will  stay  with 
us  for  tonight?" 

"No,  that  is  impossible.  The  doctor  is  wait- 
ing, and  it's  better  for  us  to  start  out  before 
the  sun  goes  down.  We  must  take  the  first  train 
that  goes  direct  to  Tokyo. ' ' 

"Really?  Is  the  Madame  Viscountess  in 
earnest?" 

[229] 


THE   HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

Old  Iku  began  to  feel  worried.  Nami,  too, 
was  at  a  loss  to  understand.  But  since  her  aunt 
came  at  her  father's  request  and  with  definite 
instructions,  and  because  her  mother-in-law  had 
been  apprised  of  the  arrangement,  she  con- 
sented to  the  preparations  without  any  further 
discussion. 

"  What's  on  your  mind,  auntie  I  I  needn't 
take  my  nurse  along,  need  I,  seeing  that  I'm 
coming  back  so  soon?" 

* 'Better  have  her  come  with  us.  She  may  be 
useful. ' ' 

At  exactly  four  o'clock  three  kurumas  were 
waiting  just  outside  the  house.  The  women 
came  out  and  stepped  into  the  vehicles.  Nami 
wore  a  gown  of  silver  gray  encircled  by  a  blue 
girdle,  while  in  her  hair  was  placed  a  sprig  of 
jessamine;  in  her  hands  she  held  a  gray- 
blue  parasol. 

As  the  kurumas  were  about  to  start  Nami 
raised  her  handkerchief  to  her  lips,  stifling  a 
fit  of  coughing.  Then  she  said,  "Iku,  I'm 
leaving  you  here  for  a  few  days.  It's  so  long 
since  I  've  been  in  my  father 's  house.  Ah !  And 
the  clothes  I  was  embroidering  for  Takeo! 
Only  a  few  touches  are  needed.  I  '11  finish  them 

[230] 


NAMI  RETURNS  TO  HER  FATHER'S  HOME 

when  I  come  back,  and  they'll  be  ready,  any- 
way, in  time  for  his  arrival. ' ' 

The  aunt  hid  her  face  beneath  the  large 
parasol,  for  before  she  had  succeeded  in  mas- 
tering herself  two  large  tears  had  rolled  down 
from  her  eyes. 

The  destiny  of  each  of  us  is  irrevocably  fixed. 
The  abyss  awaits  us  and  we  rush  toward  it 
without  suspecting  anything.  Without  suspect- 
ing? That  is  the  wrong  word.  For  when  we 
draw  close  to  the  abyss  a  strange  shudder 
freezes  our  being. 

Nami,  who  had  willingly  prepared  to  accom- 
pany her  aunt,  happy  in  the  thought  of  seeing 
her  father  once  again,  nevertheless  felt  her 
heart  palpitate  violently  as  the  kurumas  rolled 

on  their  way The  more  she  reflected  upon 

her  present  condition,  the  more  restless  and 
pained  became  her  countenance.  Her  uneasi- 
ness increased  upon  beholding  the  sad  expres- 
sion of  her  aunt,  who  sat  opposite  her  in  the 
train. 

Upon  arriving  at  the  Shimbashi  station 
Nairn's  mind  was  so  disturbed  by  sad  presenti- 
ments that  the  joy  of  her  return  after  so  long 
an  absence  was  completely  eclipsed. 

The  nurse  helped  her  to  descend  and  with 

[231] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

slow  step  Nami  followed  her  aunt  through  the 
crowd.  Before  the  entrance  an  officer  passed 
rapidly  by,  very  close  to  the  two  women.  He 
was  talking  with  another  person,  but  turned 
around  as  he  recognized  Nami,  and  their 
glances  met.  ...  It  was  Chtjiwa. 

He  looked  at  her  for  a  moment  with  a  curious 
gaze,  uncovered  his  head  with  affected  polite- 
ness and  ....  smiled!  Chijiwa's  look  and  his 
smile  caused  Nami's  heart  to  throb  with  anxi- 
ety; she  blanched  and  felt  a  shudder  course 
through  her  veins,  -  -  a  shudder  far  different 
from  that  which  was  caused  at  times  by  her 
illness.  She  was  still  trembling  when  she 
stepped  into  the  carriage  beside  her  aunt.  Not 
a  word  was  exchanged  between  the  two  women 
during  the  final  stage  of  their  journey. 

The  sun,  which  enveloped  the  rapidly  mov- 
ing carriage  in  its  melancholy  rays  from  the 
west,  had  almost  disappeared  behind  the 
mountains;  twilight  was  already  stealing  over 
the  earth,  when  they  came  in  sight  of  the  Ka- 
taoka  home.  The  heavy  evening  atmosphere 
was  lightly  perfumed  with  the  scent  of  chest- 
nut blossoms.  A  lamp  shone  above  a  wide 
gate,  before  which  several  wagons  had  stopped. 
From  the  vestibule  came  the  sounds  of  men's 

[232] 


NAMI  RETURNS  TO  HER  FATHER'S  HOME 

voices.  Everything  seemed  to  indicate  that 
somebody  was  moving  in.  Nami  could  not 
fathom  the  reason  for  all  this  bustle.  Her 
aunt  and  her  nurse  helped  her  to  the  ground, 
while  on  the  threshold  appeared  Madame  Ka- 
taoka,  who  advanced  several  steps  toward 
them,  saying,  "You  were  really  very  quick 
about  it.  ...  Thanks  for  your  kindness.  You 
must  both  be  tired." 

Madame  Kataoka's  glance  swept  rapidly 
from  Nami  to  Madame  Kato. 

"How  are  you,  mamma?  And  ....  where 's 
papa?" 

"In  his  study,"  replied  Madame  Kataoka 
laconically. 

At  this  moment  the  merry  voices  of  Nami's 
little  brother  and  sister  were  heard;  they  ran 
up  to  her,  shouting  the  name  of  the  sister  whom 
they  had  been  so  impatiently  awaiting;  with- 
out heeding  their  mother's  admonition  they 
rushed  to  Nami's  arms.  Koma,  too,  came 
forward. 

"Oh!    Mi-chanandKi-chan!    How  are  you! 

dearies!" 

Michi  clung  to  his  sister's  arms.  'Now 
you're  going  to  be  always  with  us,"  he  cried. 
"I  saw  your  things  come.  ..." 

[233] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

Nobody  dared  to  silence  the  indiscreet  young- 
ster ;  the  uneasy  glances  of  the  step-mother,  the 
aunt  and  Koma  turned  to  Nami. 

"What's  that  he's  saying?" 

Nami  directed  her  astonished  gaze  toward 
her  step-mother,  then  to  her  aunt,  and  then  to 
the  boxes  that  were  piled  up  in  a  room  near  the 
vestibule.  There  was  no  longer  any  doubt 
about  it. ...  There  was  her  dressing-table  .... 
fresh  from  her  husband's  house !  And  that  was 
surely  her  trunk,  too ! 

Nami  trembled  violently  and,  unable  to  sup- 
port herself,  swayed  over  toward  her  aunt. 
Everybody  wept. 

Footsteps  were  heard.  Nami's  father  was 
coming  to  share  the  sad  scene. 

"Oh,  father!" 

"My  darling,  how  I  have  longed  to  hold  you 
in  my  arms !  Welcome  home ! ' ' 

The  general  for  a  long  time  pressed  against 
his  robust  bosom  the  frail,  quivering  body  of 
his  favorite  child,  who  was  shaking  like  a  leaf. 

Some  moments  later  peace  had  returned  to 
the  sad  home.  In  the  general's  study  two  per- 
sons were  talking  ....  a  father  and  a  daughter. 
As  on  the  wedding  day,  when  she  had  left  her 

[234] 


NAMI  RETURNS  TO  HER  FATHER'S  HOME 

father's  house  never  to  return,  so  now  she  list- 
ened to  the  counsel  of  her  beloved  parent.  .  .  . 
And  now,  as  then,  Nami  fell  to  the  floor  and 
wept  with  her  face  hidden  between  her  father 's 
knees.  .  .  .  The  general,  meanwhile,  ceaselessly 
fondled  his  daughter's  head,  as  she  shook  with 
heartbreaking  sobs. 


[235] 


CHAPTER  X 

The  Quarrel 

4  *  /^l  OGWAI J1    Gogwai !    Special  account 
I    ~W  of  the  Korean  crisis!    Extra!" 

A  young  newsboy  was  thus  shouting 
his  wares,  as  he  rang  his  bell  with  incessant 
clamor.  Directly  behind  him  ran  a  kuruma 
that  stopped  brusquely  before  the  Kawashima 
house  on  Bancho  street. 

It  was  Takeo. 

The  widow  was  in  great  fear  lest  Takeo,  on 
his  return,  should  show  intense  resentment  at 
what  had  happened  during  his  absence.  But 
since  "he  conquers  who  first  draws  his  sword," 
she  had  sent  all  of  Nami  's  belonging  to  the  Ka- 
taoka  house  the  moment  Yamaki  had  brought 
her  the  news  of  the  general's  consent.  This, 
in  accordance  with  the  good  adage,  *  *  Never  put 
off  for  tomorrow  what  you  can  do  today.  ..." 
"I  may  have  committed  a  murder,"  she  told 
herself,  "but  upon  my  word,  if  there  was  an 

1  'Gogwai,'  literally,  in  addition  to  the  regular  number.  These 
'extras'  consist  of  a  simple  sheet  of  paper  containing  the  latest 
despatches. 

[236] 


THE  QUARREL 

abscess,  it  had  to  be  pierced  if  we  were  to  be 
saved."  For  several  days  she  had  been  in  an 
ugly  humor.  Now  she  suddenly  took  a  marked 
change  for  the  better. 

On  the  contrary  the  servants,  who  were  all 
naturally  on  the  side  of  the  young  wife,  showed 
their  indignation  at  the  widow's  inhuman  ac- 
tions and  anxiously  awaited  the  return  of  the 
baron,  expecting  to  witness  a  scene. 

Matters  were  at  this  stage  when  Takeo 
reached  his  home.  The  urgent  letter  that  the 
viscountess  had  sent  him  had  been  mailed  too 
late  to  reach  him  before  he  started  on  his  re- 
turn voyage;  and  his  mother,  in  her  letters  to 
him,  had  certainly  made  no  reference  to  the 
steps  she  had  taken  and  to  the  course  of  events. 
So  that  Takeo  had  not  the  slightest  suspicions 
of  what  had  happened;  scarcely  had  he  landed 
at  Yokosuka  when  he  hastened  to  Tokyo. 

The  maid  who  came  out  of  Takeo 's  room 
came  close  to  the  girl  who  was  preparing  tea 
and  said  to  her,  in  a  low  voice,  "Do  you  know? 
It  looks  as  if  the  baron  knew  nothing  at  all 
about  it.  He  brought  a  present  for  his  wife ! ' ' 

"Is  that  possible?" 

"Where  in  all  the  world  can  you  find  a 
mother  capable  of  forcing  the  separation  of  her 

[237] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

son  from  his  wife  during  his  absence?  But 
just  watch.  He'll  be  furious.  That  woman  is 
worse  than  a  demon!" 

"You're  right,"  assented  the  girl. 

"I  never  saw  a  woman  so  absurd,  so  miserly, 
so  repugnant!  All  she  can  do  is  keep  calling 
others  down,  but  she  doesn't  know  how  to  do 
things  herself.  You  can  easily  detect  her  noble 
origin,  —  the  daughter  of  a  Satsuma  peasant! 
It  really  nauseates  me  to  live  in  this  house ! ' ' 

"But  is  it  possible  that  the  baron  should 
know  nothing  about  the  sending  away  of  his 
wife  I" 

"It  certainly  is.  He  was  so  far  away!  No- 
body could  imagine  that  a  mother  would  send 
away  her  son's  wife  just  as  if  she  were  an 
ordinary  servant !  And  he 's  so  young !  Really 
it's  heartbreaking.  And  such  a  dear  as  his 
poor  wife  is !  It 's  even  worse  for  her.  She  '11 
go  mad!  Ah!  Listen!  Listen!  There  goes 
the  old  lady  shouting  again.  Better  take  care 
to  fulfil  your  orders  to  the  dot,  or  woe  to  your 
head,  Mat-chan!" 

Meanwhile,  from  one  of  the  'rooms  the  voices 
of  mother  and  son  kept  echoing  with  increasing 
loudness  and  anger. 

[238] 


THE  QUARREL 

"You  promised  to  wait  until  I  came  back!" 
Takeo  was  crying.  "You  didn't  mention 
these  things  a  single  time  in  your  letters !  You 
went  straight  ahead  and  did  as  you  pleased! 
Ah!  But  I  won't  endure  this!  On  the  way  I 
stopped  at  Zushi  and  asked  Iku  why  Nami  was 
away.  She  answered  that  she  had  some  affairs 
to  attend  to  in  Tokyo.  It  looked  strange  to  me. 
But  I  should  never  have  dreamed  that  you,  - 
ah !  This  is  too  much !  Indeed,  it  is  too  much ! ' ' 

*  *  Very  well,  then.  I  was  wrong ! ' '  exclaimed 
the  widow.  '  *  Then  I  beg  you  to  forgive  me  .... 
I  have  nothing  against  Nami,  but  I  love  you  too 
much,  and  .  .  .  ." 

"You're  always  thinking  only  of  me.  If 
you'd  give  a  moment's  thought  to  my  honor, 
to  my  reputation,  to  some  human  feeling  .  .  .  . " 

"Takeo,  you're  a  man,  —  not  a  woman.  At 
least  I  hope  so.  Is  Nami  so  much  to  you  that 
you  don't  hesitate  to  humiliate  your  mother?" 

"Ah,  but  what  you  have  done  is  more  than  I 
can  stand!" 

"Well,  it's  too  late  to  do  anything  about  it 
now.  It's  irreparable.  They  were  perfectly 
willing  and  now  we  can't  turn  back.  You  your- 
self, —  what  can  you  do?  Remember,  Takeo, 
if  you  were  to  commit  some  folly  now  it  would 

[239] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

bring  dishonor  not  upon  your  mother  alone, 
but  upon  yourself,  too." 

Takeo  listened  in  silence  and  bit  his  lips 
madly.  Suddenly  he  jumped  to  his  feet,  dashed 
to  the  floor  a  basket  of  apples  that  he  had 
brought  as  a  gift  to  his  mother,  and  exclaimed, 
1  'Mother,  you  have  killed  Nami,  and  with  her, 
your  son!  I'll  never  look  at  you  again!" 

At  once  Takeo  left  to  rejoin  his  vessel  at 
Yokosuka. 

When  the  situation  in  Korea  began  to  point 
toward  a  definite  crisis,  the  Japanese  govern- 
ment declared  war  against  China.  This  hap- 
pened about  the  middle  of  July. 

On  the  eighteenth  of  the  same  month  Vice- 
Admiral  Kabayama  was  named  head  of  the 
fleet  and  the  flagship  Matsushima,  to  which 
Takeo  was  attached,  received  orders  to  join  the 
other  ships  at  Saseho. 

Takeo,  who  in  his  heart  meant  to  expose  him- 
self as  target  to  the  shot  and  shell,  and  thus 
end  a  life  that  was  henceforth  purposeless,  left 
with  sinister  enthusiasm. 

General  Kataoka  had  built  for  Nami  a  quiet 
cottage  in  a  peaceful,  sunny  corner  of  his  ample 
estate,  and  summoned  Iku  from  Zushi,  send- 
ing her  to  his  daughter's  new  dwelling. 

[240] 


THE  QUARREL 

In  September  he  was  ordered  into  service, 
and  after  having  with  deep  emotion  recom- 
mended the  care  of  his  precious  invalid 
daughter  to  his  wife,  he  left,  on  the  thirteenth 
of  the  month,  to  follow  the  Emperor  to  the 
general  headquarters  at  Hiroshima.  In  the 
following  month  he  proceeded  to  the  peninsula 
of  Liao-tung  with  Generals  Oyama,  Yamaji  and 
other  officers. 

The  personal  details  of  the  story  which  we 
have  for  some  time  been  following  now  pass 
into  the  background.  At  the  moment  which  we 
have  reached,  individual  hatreds  and  rivalries 
are  eclipsed  by  the  light  of  patriotism;  adver- 
saries and  partisans  fight  side  by  side  and  await 
the  outcome  of  the  war  between  China  and 
Japan. 


[241] 


Part  III 


CHAPTER  I 
The  Battle  of  Yalu  River 

IT  was  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Septem- 
ber 16,  1894,  and  the  Japanese  squadrons, 
ready  for  battle,  were  steaming  out  of  the 
mouth    of    the    Tai-dong    river,    their    prows 
directed  toward  the  northwest,  in  search  of  the 
enemy's  fleet,  hoping  to  goad  it  into  a  decisive 
contest.    If  the  information  received  was  exact, 
the  meeting  should  take  place  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Yalu,  where  the  warships  were  protecting 
the  Chinese  transports. 

First  in  line  was  the  flying  squadron,  with 
the  Yoshino  as  flagship,  and  comprising  the 
ships  Takashiho,  Naniwa  and  Akitsushima. 
Then  followed  the  main  fleet,  with  the  ships 
Chiyoda,  Itsukushima,  Hashidate,  Hiyei,  Fuso 
and  Matsushima;  of  these  the  last  was  the  flag- 
ship. At  the  rear  came  the  gunboat  Akagi  and 
the  armed  merchantman,  Saikyomaru,  which 
carried  on  board  the  First  Admiral.  The 
twelve  vessels  had  left  port  at  noon,  stretched 
out  in  a  long  line,  ploughing  the  dashing  waves 

[245] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

of  the  Yellow  Sea,  which,  like  serpents  with 
immense  coils  writhed  in  a  luminous  wake. 

After  sunset  the  moon  rose,  round  and  silver. 
The  ships  sailed  silently  on,  cutting  the  waves 
that  shone  with  gold  and  silver  reflections;  the 
vessels  were  clearly  silhouetted  against  the 
calm  light  of  the  night  star. 

In  the  officers'  cabin  on  the  Matsushima  din- 
ner had  just  been  finished;  those  on  duty  had 
already  left  for  their  posts,  and  a  few  remained 
behind  in  lively  conversation.  The  port-holes 
were  tightly  shut,  lest  a  gleam  of  light  betray 
the  presence  of  the  vessel  to  the  enemy.  Within 
it  was  exceedingly  hot  and  the  animated  faces 
of  the  young  officers  had  become  fiery  red. 
Upon  the  table  stood  several  empty  goblets  and 
a  large  plate  of  cakes.  Everything  had  been 
devoured;  a  last  piece  of  cake  awaited  its  sad 
fate  at  the  hands  of  some  famished  future 
admiral. 

"Our  army,  by  this  time,  must  have  taken 
the  city  of  Phyong-yang  in  Korea,  don't  you 
think  so?"  asked  a  young  ensign,  his  cheeks 
resting  on  his  hands  and  looking  around  to  his 
superior  officers. 

"But  what's  the  navy  doing?  Ah!  These 
endless  hours  of  inactivity!" 

[246] 


THE    BATTLE    OF    YALU   RIVER 

A  young  lieutenant  with  a  red,  smiling  face, 
joined  the  conversation  from  his  shadowy 
corner. 

"But  don't  you  know  that  the  play  can't  be 
finished  until  the  curtain  has  at  least  gone  up? 
A  long  wait  is  a  pleasant  excitement  to  the 
nervous  system." 

1 1  Ah !  Enough  of  this  meaningless  nonsense ! 
I'm  heartily  tired  of  this  playing  blind-man's- 
buff  with  the  Pey-yang.1  If  we  should  fail  to 
meet  him  this  time,  too,  I'll  never  know  a 
moment's  peace  until  we've  forced  passage 
through  the  gulf  of  Petchili  and  saluted  the 
forts  of  Taku  with  our  guns." 

A  cadet  turned  toward  the  officer  who  was  so 
openly  expressing  his  dissatisfaction,  and  said 
in  all  earnestness,  "It  would  be  like  going  into 
a  sack.  What  would  you  do  if  you  were  shut 
up  inside  of  the  gulf  and  blockaded?" 

"What!  Blockaded?  I  wish  we  were!  But 
our  enemy  is  too  slow  to  blockade  us ! " 

"I  don't  want  to  discourage  you,  young  man, 
but  it  seems  to  me  that  this  time  also  the  much 
wished  for  encounter  will  not  take  place. 
Really,  I  don't  know  what  we  can  do,  seeing  how 
slowly  the  Chinese  move." 

1  The  Chinese  Fleet. 

[247] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

At  this  moment  footsteps  were  heard  and  a 
tall  officer  appeared  upon  the  threshold. 

The  small  ensign  turned  quickly  around. 

''"Well,  pilot.  What  news?  Nothing  in 
sight?" 

* '  Only  the  moon.  After  roll-call  I  advise  you 
to  go  to  bed  and  get  some  sleep." 

The  newcomer  hastened  to  the  table,  seized 
the  last  slice  of  cake  and  gulped  it  down.  Then, 
apologetically,  he  began,  "Just  try  to  stay  one 
short  hour  on  deck  and  you'll  feel  a  ravenous 
hunger  like  mine!  Boy,  bring  us  a  few  more 
cakes." 

A  third  ensign,  wearing  a  red  shirt,  smiled 
as  if  to  congratulate  his  mate  upon  his  appetite. 

The  tall  ensign  understood  the  smile  and 
added,  not  without  a  touch  of  sarcasm,  "And 
how  are  you,  my  dear  friend?  Isn't  it  our 
privilege,  perhaps,  to  swallow  a  whole  plate  of 
cakes  and  look  with  scorn  at  the  veterans?" 

"But  you  know,  mate,  that  the  men  can't 
sleep  because  of  their  joy  of  the  next  day?  If 
we  make  a  failure  of  it,  it  won 't  be  the  fault  of 
the  marines,  but  of " 

"Ah!  We've  no  doubts  as  to  our  bravery!" 
protested  the  oldest  officer  present.  "Only  we 

[248] 


THE    BATTLE    OF    YALU   EIVER 

must  calm  our  nerves.  That's  why  I  recom- 
mend to  you,  my  boys,  calm  and  patience!" 

"While  we're  on  the  subject  of  bravery," 
observed  another  in  the  group,  "I  can't  help 
admiring  that  second  captain  of  the  third 
corps.  Splendid  courage!  And  yet,  if  every 
one  of  us  held  his  life  so  cheaply  it  would  be  a 
really  excessive  rashness!  He  sells  his  life  as 
if  it  were  an  ordinary  piece  of  merchandise. ..." 

"Do  you  mean  Kawashima?  Now  I  remem- 
ber. It  was, — yes,  during  the  bombarding  of 
Wei-hai-wei.  He  accomplished  wonderful  feats 
of  bravery.  If  he  had  been  General-in-Chief 
at  that  time  he  would  have  led  the  fleet 
into  the  gulf  of  Petchili  and  not  content  with 
Taku,  he  would  have  pressed  forward  on  the 
Pei-ho,  determined  to  take  old  Li-Hung-Tchang 
prisoner." 

"His  character  has  changed  completely.  He 
gets  angry  at  the  merest  trifle.  A  few  days  ago 
I  mentioned  the  Baroness  Kawashima  in  a  joke. 
Why,  he  just  flared  up  and  I  '11  wager  he  would 
have  been  glad  to  kill  me  on  the  spot.  I'm 
more  afraid  of  his  anger  than  of  a  shot  from  a 
30-centimeter  gun.  I'm  afraid  something 
serious  has  happened Tell  us  about  it, 

[249] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Garibaldi ;  you're  his  best  friend, — do  you  know 
the  secret?" 

The  pilot,  as  he  spoke  these  words,  looked  at 
the  man  in  the  red  shirt  who  was  nicknamed 
Garibaldi. 

At  this  juncture  the  boy  entered  with  a  plate 
full  of  biscuits,  thus  leading  the  young  officers 
to  abandon  their  discussion. 

At  ten  o'clock  came  the  muster.  The  men 
on  duty  went  to  their  posts,  while  the  others 
went  to  sleep.  Speaking  in  a  loud  voice  and 
lighting  any  lights  was  forbidden.  Above  deck 
and  below  reigned  so  deep  a  silence  that  the 
vessel  seemed  to  be  an  abandoned  hulk.  Ex- 
cept the  voice  of  the  watch  there  was  heard  only 
the  noise  of  the  propeller  and  the  ceaseless 
pulsation  of  the  machine,  as  of  a  giant  heart. 
The  white  smoke  rose  from  the  funnels  to  meet 
the  rays  of  the  moon. 

On  the  commander's  bridge  the  shadows  of 
two  men  stood  out  against  the  luminous  back- 
ground. The  one  at  the  left  was  rigid,  motion- 
less; the  other  paced  up  and  down  noiselessly. 
They  were  Takeo  Kawashima,  second  captain 
of  the  third  battery,  and  the  chief  pilot,  to- 
gether doing  their  four  hours '  guard  duty  upon 
the  bridge. 

[250] 


THE)  BATTLE    OF   YALU   RIVEE 

Having  reached  the  end  of  the  bridge  Takeo 
raised  his  glasses  and  looked  into  the  distance. 
Nothing  was  in  sight,  so  he  dropped  his  right 
hand,  which  held  the  instrument,  and  leaned  his 
left  against  the  rail.  Two  officers  conversing 
in  undertones  passed  by  the  opposite  gun, 
crossed  the  bridge  and  disappeared  in  the 
darkness. 

Everything  was  in  deep  silence  about  the 
bridge ;  the  wind  became  gradually  colder,  while 
the  moon  poured  its  crystal  light  over  the 
waters. 

On  the  ample  horizon  that  enveloped  the  two 
men  on  the  bridge  nothing  could  be  seen  but 
the  shining  waves  of  the  Yellow  Sea,  the  indis- 
tinct outlines  of  a  rocky  island  to  the  right  of 
the  vessel  and  the  fleeting  shadow  of  the 
Akitsushima  that  was  following  the  same  route. 

The  mainmast  was  now  enveloped  by  the 
sparks  that  came  from  the  large  smokestack, 
and  now  abandoned  by  the  countless  gleams. 
Above,  the  autumn  sky  was  studded  with  in- 
numerable stars.  The  milky  way,  bereft  of  its 
splendor,  seemed  pale  and  wan,  as  if  envious  of 
the  sea  that  shone  so  resplendent  in  the  clear 
moonlight. 

-          #          #          *          r 
[251] 


THE   HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

Three  months  before,  Takeo  had  left  his 
mother  without  any  reconciliation  between 
them.  But  how  many  changes  had  occurred  in 
such  a  short  time !  His  spirit  had  been  shaken 
by  the  precipitous  train  of  events  that  had  led 
to  the  war  in  Korea;  later,  on  the  occasion  of 
the  farewell  when  the  bugles  of  war  had 
sounded  in  the  bay  of  Saseho,  his  heart  had  con- 
tracted convulsively  as  in  a  rude  awakening. 
The  declaration  of  war,  however,  had  filled 
him  with  new  strength  and  redoubled  his  cour- 
age, and  at  the  bombardment  of  Wei-ha-wei 
he  had  received  his  baptism  of  fire.  Before 
his  eyes  there  unfolded  a  phantasmagoria  of 
new  and  marvelous  things,  without  giving  him 

the  time  to  observe  them  in  detail So 

much  the  better  for  him.  There  remained  no 
time  for  him  to  give  himself  up  to  the  sad  con- 
templation of  the  unhappy  thing  that  lay  hidden 
in  his  heart.  In  the  hour  of  his  country's  peril 
his  own  grief,  which  had  always  been  for  him 
a  question  of  life  and  death,  shrank  to  small 
proportions.  He  buried  it  deep  within  him, 
determined  to  fulfill  all  his  duties,  and  with  the 
rash  courage  of  him  who  despairs  of  happiness, 
threw  himself  into  the  struggle  for  the  glory  of 
his  country.  Death  had  for  him  the  same  im- 

[252] 


THE   BATTLE   OP   YALU  RTVEB 
portance  as  a  speck  of  dust  that  flinhrn  in  the 

HBMHMBIlL 

But  when  peaceful  night  had  fallen  over  the 
bridge,  when  in  his  hammock  he  tossed  through 

a  sleepless  night,  the  grievous  remembrance  of 
his  hopeless  plight  would  come  to  assail  him. 

A  long  time  had  passed.  Now  the  inten- 
of  his  grief  had  given  way  to  a  continuous, 
melancholy  stupor.  The  resentment  and  the 
rage  that  had  seared  his  heart  were  stifled  in 
the  arduous  tasks  imposed  upon  him  by  his  new 
duties, 

His  mother  had  written  to  him  twice,  wishing 
him  a  happy  and  speedy  return.  Despite  the 
sad  circumstances  in  which  he  found  himself, 
he  could  not  help  thinking  of  his  old  mother's 
solitude  and  rebuked  himnplf  somewhat  for  his 
haste,  praying  for  her  welfare.  At  bottom, 
however,  his  rancor  and  bitterness  at  the  great 
wrong  she  had  done  him  could  never  be  wiped 
out.  Too  deeply  impressed  in  his  soul  was  the 
sweet  image  of  his  unhappy  wife,  and  every 
night,  in  the  tempestuous  dreams  that  showed 
him  the  destruction  of  the  enemy's  fleet  and 
the  hour  of  his  own  death,  he  saw  again  the 
face  of  his  sick  wife  wrapped  in  a  shawl  as 
white  as  a  shroud. 

[2531 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Three  months  had  gone  by  without  his  having 
received  word  from  her.  Was  she  still  alive? 
No.  .  .  .  Yes,  yes,  she  was  still  among  the  liv- 
ing. For  not  a  day  passed  without  his  thoughts 
returning  to  his  beloved,  and  it  was  impossible 
that  she,  too,  should  not  think  of  him  in  the 
same  manner.  .  .  .  Had  they  not  sworn  to  live 
and  die  together? 

Takeo  thought  often  of  that  hour.  And  he 
thought  often  of  their  last  farewell.  Ah,  where 
was  she  who,  while  night  was  rapidly  falling  at 
Zushi,  cried  the  name  of  her  beloved  from  the 
doorway,  and  prayed  him  to  come  back  soon, 
with  the  soul  and  the  voice  of  one  who  speaks 
a  last  good-bye?  Where  was  she?  He  looked 
about  him  as  if  in  a  dream  and  before  his  mind, 
which  was  troubled  by  the  vividness  of  his 
recollection,  there  appeared  in  the  resplendent 
aureole  of  the  night  star  a  thin  figure  wrapped 
in  a  white  shawl. 

The  next  day,  perhaps,  the  fleet  would  find 
the  enemy.  A  shot  might  strike  him  and  his  life 

would  vanish  like  a  dream Then  he  thought 

again  of  his  mother  who  lived  such  a  solitary 
life.  And  he  thought  of  his  dead  father,  and 
recalled  the  beautiful  days  spent  at  Etajima. 
....  And  his  spirit  turned  to  Nami-san 

[254] 


THE   BATTLE   OF   YALU  EIVER 

' '  Kawashima ! ' ' 

Takeo  whirled  around,  shaken  from  his  medi- 
tations by  the  friendly  slap  across  his  shoulder. 
It  was  the  chief  navigating  officer. 

"What  a  magnificent  night!  Who  would 
think  that  we  were  sailing  toward  battle  f ' ' 

Takeo  nodded  in  agreement,  banished  the 
tears  that  veiled  his  eyes  and  raised  his  glasses. 
....  The  moon  still  shone  with  its  crystal  light 
and  nothing  could  be  seen  on  the  sparkling 
surface  of  the  sea 

The  moon  had  set  and  dawn  was  painting 
the  sky  a  rosy  pink.  Daybreak  of  the  17th  of 
September  was  rising  over  the  Yellow  Sea.  At 
six  o'clock  the  Japanese  fleet  was  approaching 
the  island  of  Haiyang.  The  gunboat  Akagi  had 
been  sent  ahead  to  reconnoiter  in  the  bay  of 
Shoto,  but  returned  without  news  of  the  enemy. 
The  fleet  advanced  slowly  and  was  soon  off 
Takooshan  with  Talu  and  the  Seolu  Islands 
on  the  port  side. 

It  was  now  eleven.  Takeo  was  just  leaving 
the  officers'  quarters  for  the  deck  when  a  voice 
cried,  "Smoke!" 

At  once  the  deck  resounded  with  hurried  foot- 
steps. Takeo,  his  heart  beating  wildly,  stood 

[255] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

motionless  for  some  time,  half  way  up  the  steps. 
A  sailor,  who  happened  to  be  coming  down, 
stopped  also  at  the  same  instant,  in  waiting. 
The  two  men  exchanged  glances. 

"Is  the  enemy  sighted?" 

"It  seems  so." 

Takeo,  in  two  bounds,  was  upon  the  deck, 
peering  at  the  extreme  edge  of  the  horizon. 
The  signal  of  alarm  sounded,  men  were  running 
in  all  directions,  whistles  were  shrieking,  and 
the  signal  flag  was  hurriedly  hoisted  to  the  top 
of  the  mast.  At  the  bow  stood  a  group  of  silent 
sailors.  On  the  bridge,  the  commander,  vice- 
commander  and  other  officers  kept  their  gaze 

fixed  in  the  same  direction Far,  far  off, 

where  the  sky  seemed  to  graze  the  sea,  could 
be  seen  long  streaks  of  black  smoke, — one,  two, 
three,  four,  five,  six,  seven,  eight,  nine,  ten. 
The  enemy  fleet! 

An  officer  on  the  bridge  looked  at  his  watch 
and  said,  "It'll  take  them  an  hour  and  a  half 
to  get  here.  If  we  're  quick,  we  can  have  a  quiet 
lunch  before  settling  down  to  business." 

Another  officer  of  the  group  nodded  his  head 
in  agreement. 

"They  always  keep  us  waiting,  but  this  once 

[256] 


THE    BATTLE    OF    YALU   RIVEE 

we'll  use  the  time  of  the  wait  to  a  good  pur- 
pose," he  said,  stroking  his  mustache. 

Soon  the  imperial  banner  was  fluttering  at 
the  top  of  the  mainmast,  and  the  signal  for 
assembly  on  deck  echoed  through  the  entire 
ship.  From  all  directions  the  men  came  run- 
ning, each  directly  to  his  post ;  some  to  the  look- 
out, some  to  the  engines,  some  to  the  torpedo 
room,  others  prepared  for  the  care  of  the 
wounded;  all  seemed  electrified.  In  an  instant 
all  was  in  order ;  the  whole  crew  was  ready  for 
the  fight. 

It  was  now  nearly  noon  and  the  bell  rang  for 
lunch  before  the  battle. 

Takeo,  on  the  bridge,  was  aiding  the  captain, 
who  was  giving  the  gunmen  instructions  re- 
garding the  loading  of  the  rapid-firing  guns 
placed  on  the  starboard.  He  was  thus  a  few 
minutes  late  in  reaching  the  officers'  quarters, 
where  his  mates  were  already  seated,  eating. 

The  short  ensign  raised  his  very  serious  eyes, 
and  the  man  next  to  him  wrinkled  his  forehead 

and  bent  his  head The  young  cadets  were 

casting  furtive  glances  in  the  direction  of  the 
veterans,  who  from  time  to  time  gave  them  a 
word  of  advice.  One  of  them  arose  in  his  place. 
It  was  the  man  with  the  red  shirt. 

[257] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

"Comrades,  I  am  pleased  to  notice  that  your 
courage  is  unshaken,  and  that  all  of  you,  in  the 
presence  of  the  enemy,  are  seated  calmly  re- 
united around  this  table.  But  I  am  very  much 
afraid  that  tonight,  at  mess,  some  of  us  won't 
be  here  to  answer  the  roll-call.  So  let's  shake 
hands  in  a  cordial  farewell  to  one  another." 

He  seized  and  shook  the  hand  of  Takeo, 
who  was  sitting  beside  him.  At  the  same  time 
the  others  arose  to  their  feet  and  shook  hands 
likewise  with  their  neighbors.  As  the  young 
officers  excitedly  jumped  to  this  unanimous,  en- 
thusiastic manifestation  of  their  courage,  sev- 
eral plates  were  thrown  to  the  floor. 

An  ensign,  whose  face  was  adorned  with  a 
scar,  grasped  the  hand  of  the  ship  doctor. 

"If  we  are  wounded,  take  good  care  of  us. 
And  here's  your  pay  in  advance!"  He  shook 
the  doctor's  hand  vigorously  for  some  moments. 

All  laughed,  but  at  once  became  serious.  One 
by  one  they  left.  The  room  was  strewn  with 
empty  plates  in  the  utmost  disorder. 

At  twenty  minues  past  twelve  Takeo  was  sent 
to  the  bridge  by  the  captain  of  his  corps  to  the 
vice-commander.  From  that  elevated  point  he 
could  see  the  Japanese  fleet  stretched  out  in  a 
single  line;  the  four  cruisers  of  the  first  flying 

[258] 


THE    BATTLE    OF    YALU   RIVER 

squadron  were  in  the  vanguard,  about  4000 
metres  apart.  The  six  vessels  composing  the 
main  squadron,  with  the  Matsushima,  the  Akagl 
and  the  Saikyomaru  at  their  head,  followed  the 
cruisers,  holding  themselves  under  cover  at  the 
left. 

The  imperial  banner  fluttered  boldly  and 
gracefully  from  the  mainmast,  the  funnels 
emitted  dense  puffs  of  black  smoke,  and  the 
waves  parted  before  the  advancing  prows,  dash- 
ing into  sprays  of  white,  shining  foam. 

On  the  bridge  the  officers  were  defying  the 
wind,  which  blew  furiously.  Several  of  the 
men  were  looking  far  off  into  the  distance, 
through  the  glasses,  while  others  held  their 
hands  on  the  hilt  of  their  swords. 

Yonder,  in  the  north,  the  ten  streaks  of  smoke 
were  growing  in  size  after  having  suddenly 
appeared,  as  if  the  enemy's  fleet  had  arisen 
from  the  waves  by  magic. 

Masts,  smokestacks,  hulls,  gradually  became 
visible,  and  soon  afterwards  the  banners  at  the 
tops  of  the  masts  could  be  made  out  by  the 
naked  eye.  The  two  colossal  ironclads  Ting- 
yuen  and  Chen-yuen  had  taken  their  positions 
in  the  centre  of  the  line;  the  left  wing  was 
formed  by  the  King-yuen,  Chih-yuen,  Wei-yuen 

[259] 


THE   HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

and  Tsi-yuen,  and  the  right  wing  was  made  up 
of  the  Lai-yuen,  the  Chingyuen,  Chao-yuen  and 
the  Yang-wei.  To  the  west  were  seen  four  other 
battleships  with  six  torpedo  boats.  The  Jap- 
anese fleet  proceeded  in  a  column  toward  the 
centre  of  the  enemy's  line,  approaching  slowly, 
as  is  usual  in  naval  battles.  But  when  the 
Japanese  vessels  had  come  within  a  distance 
of  about  10,000  metres  of  the  enemy  ships,  with 
a  rapid  movement  the  flying  squadron  turned 
to  the  left  to  attack  the  adversary 's  right  wing. 
The  line  of  battle  changed  from  the  figure  of 
a  T  to  that  of  a  V.  In  this  order  the  Japanese 
continued  to  advance  until  within  a  distance  of 
6000  metres  from  the  foe.  At  this  moment  a 
white  streak  of  smoke  burst  from  the  side  of 
the  Chen-yuen  and  two  30  centimeter  shells 
whistled  through  the  air,  falling  into  the  sea 
at  the  starboard  of  the  flying  squadron  and 
sending  a  shower  of  white  spray  into  the  at- 
mosphere. 

The  waters  of  the  Yellow  Sea,  which,  on  the 
previous  night  had  sparkled  like  silver  in  the 
moonlight  and  whose  clear  surface  had  but 
lately  reflected  the  calm,  vague  cloudlets  of 
capricious  forms  and  the  island  with  the  smil- 

[260] 


THE    BATTLE    OF    YALU   EIVER 

ing  hills, — these  same  waters  were  about  to  be- 
come the  scene  of  a  terribly  bloody  struggle. 

Takeo  left  the  bridge  to  return  to  his  gun. 
The  captain  did  not  remove  his  eyes  from  the 
spy-glass;  the  gunners  had  already  taken  off 
their  jackets  and  uncovered  their  tanned,  mus- 
cular arms  up  to  the  elbow.  In  a  state  of  ten- 
sion that  almost  took  away  their  power  of 
breathing  they  awaited  the  order  to  fire. 

In  the  meantime  the  flying  squadron  had 
opened  fire  upon  the  right  wing  of  the  enemy, 
which  was  advancing.  The  Matsushima  at  the 
head  of  the  main  fleet  was  rapidly  approaching 
the  Chinese  vessels,  which  were  now  assuming 
the  shape  of  a  wedge,  with  the  Chen-yuen  and 
the  Ting-yuen  at  the  apex. 

The  hostile  fleets  drew  closer  together  and 
these  two  battleships  were  clearly  visible  to  the 
naked  eye.  Takeo  remembered  having  seen 
them  some  years  before  in  the  port  of  Yoko- 
hama and  observed  their  maneuvers  with  the 
keenest  interest.  Yes,  without  a  doubt  they 
were  the  same  ships.  But  now  they  advanced 
puffing  voluminous  volleys  of  thick  black  smoke, 
churning  the  foaming  waves  with  wild  fury, 
booming  with  cannon.  They  advanced  quickly. 
He  watched  them  with  a  feeling  similar  to  shud- 

[261] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

dering,  but  without  a  trace  of  fear.  And  they 
sped  forward  toward  him  like  birds  of  prey  in 
search  of  victims. 

Suddenly  there  was  heard  a  rumbling  as  of 
distant  thunder ;  then  a  deafening  noise  echoed 
through  the  air  above  the  Matsushima,  seeming 
to  envelop  the  mainmast.  The  projectile  fell 
into  the  water,  causing  a  wave  of  twenty  metres 
to  rise  from  the  sea.  Takeo  felt  a  shudder  run 
through  his  body,  but  he  mastered  himself  at 
once.  He  looked  around;  his  men,  affected  by 
the  same  shudder,  wavered  for  an  instant  and 
then  regained  their  courage.  The  vessel  pur- 
sued its  course.  Three,  four,  five  shells  burst 
almost  simultaneously.  One  struck  a  boat  hang- 
ing from  the  port  side,  the  others  struck  the  sea 
so  close  to  the  ship  that  the  deck  was  washed 
by  the  waves  cast  into  the  air. 

"Captain,  must  we  still  wait  before  we  open 
fire?"  asked  Takeo,  impatiently. 

It  was  several  minutes  after  one. 

"Four  thousand  metres!" 

The  order  was  passed  forward,  and  the  gun- 
ners prepared  to  fire. 

At  last  the  bugle  blew.  At  the  command 
"Fire!"  the  Matsushima  sent  a  broadside  to- 
ward the  enemy.  The  vessel  swayed;  a  dense 

[262] 


THE   BATTLE   OF   YALU  RIVER 

cloud  of  white  smoke  enveloped  the  starboard 
side.  But  at  that  same  moment,  as  if  in  reply 
to  the  simultaneous  volleys,  a  huge  enemy  shell 
brushed  the  funnel,  falling  into  the  sea.  Two 
or  three  gunners  involuntarily  lowered  their 
heads. 

The  captain  turned  toward  them  jestingly. 

"What  was  that?  Who  made  you  bow  your 
heads  to  the  enemy?" 

Takeo,  the  cadets  and  the  gunners  laughed. 

"Fire!    Firm  on  your  legs,  now!    Fire!" 

All  the  forward  guns  were  discharged  in 
rapid  succession.  The  great  32  centimetre  gun 
thundered  and  vomited  its  fiery  death,  shaking 
the  vessel.  The  battleship  behind  them  was 
opening  fire,  too. 

All  at  once  an  enemy  shot  exploded  near  one 
of  the  guns  and  a  gunner  aside  of  Takeo  fell 
backwards.  He  tried  to  get  up,  but  sank  down 
again.  His  blood  had  spurted  over  Takeo 's 
uniform. 

The  gunners  looked  around. 

"Who  is  it?"  asked  one. 

"Isn't  that  Nishiyama?" 

"Yes,  that's  who  it  is." 

"Dead?" 

[263] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

' '  Fire  1 ' '  shouted  the  captain.  Again  the  gun- 
ners discharged  their  murderous  volleys. 

Takeo  ordered  the  corpse  to  be  removed  and 
went  back  to  his  post. 

The  captain  noticed  Takeo 's  blood-stained 
uniform,  and  asked,  "Are  you  wounded,  Kawa- 
shima?" 

* '  No,  no.    Only  spurts  from  the  other  fellow. ' ' 

"All  right,  then.    Let's  avenge  his  death!" 

The  guns  were  discharged  incessantly  while 
the  vessel  kept  advancing  at  great  speed.  The 
main  section  of  the  fleet,  making  a  rapid  arc, 
surrounded  the  right  wing  of  the  Chinese 
formation  and  drew  up  to  the  rear  of  the  enemy. 

The  first  phase  of  the  battle  was  over;  the 
second  was  about  to  begin.  The  forward  guns 
of  the  Matsushima  became  silent  for  a  while, 
and  both  officers  and  gunners  brushed  the  pow- 
der off  their  clothes,  and  wiped  away  the  sweat 
and  the  smoky  grime. 

The  placing  of  the  Japanese  vessels  had 
become  as  follows:  The  flying  squadron  that 
had  attacked  the  enemy's  right  wing,  putting 
out  of  combat  the  Yang-wei  and  the  Chao-yuen, 
was  ready  to  follow  the  main  section,  which  had 
already  flanked  the  hostile  fleet  and  was  pre- 
paring to  attack  it  from  the  rear.  The  Hiyei, 

[264] 


THE    BATTLE    OF    YALU   RIVER 

the  fifth  vessel  of  the  main  squadron,  had  been 
left  behind  because  of  its  low  speed,  and  was 
making  great  efforts  to  diminish  the  distance 
between  it  and  its  companion  vessels.  Bravely 
it  attempted  to  break  through  the  Chinese  line. 
It  even  succeeded,  but  as  a  result  it  was  forced 
to  bandon  the  fray  because  a  dangerous  fire 
had  started  under  deck,  and  required  the  un- 
divided attention  of  the  crew. 

The  Saikyomaru  had  similarly  carried  itself 
beyond  danger.  Only  the  Akagi,  a  small  ship, 
was  left  alone  in  face  of  the  enemy,  and  tried 
desperately  to  make  a  way  for  itself  to  the 
Hiyei.  The  four  ships  of  the  flying  squadron 
and  the  five  of  the  principal  squadron  main- 
tained their  order  of  battle  unbroken.  On  the 
side  of  the  enemy,  the  Chao-yuen  was  in  flames. 
The  Yang-wei  was  put  out  of  commission  and 
the  right  wing  was  in  disorder.  Three  vessels 
of  the  left  wing  left  their  position  to  give  chase 
to  the  Hiyei  and  the  Akagi,  while  the  torpedo 
boats  had  been  separated  from  the  rest  of  the 
fleet. 

Several  vessels,  with  the  Chen-yuen  and  the 
Ting-yuen  at  their  head  reversed  their  direc- 
tion when  they  saw  that  the  Japanese  had  sur- 

[265] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

rounded  them,  and  in  a  column  made  for  the 
main  squadron. 

Now  had  come  the  second  encounter.  The 
Saikyomaru  had  signalled  that  the  Akagi  and 
the  Hiyei  were  in  danger,  whereupon  the  fastest 
vessels  of  the  flying  squadron  came  hurrying 
to  their  assistance.  Meanwhile  the  main  fleet 
continued  to  describe  a  great  circle  as  it  sur- 
rounded the  enemy.  The  Japanese  squadron 
then  discharged  all  its  batteries. 

By  half  past  two  the  Chinese  fleet  had  been 
entirely  surrounded,  and  had  reached  the  other 
side.  The  flying  squadron,  however,  had  made 
a  new  attack  upon  the  enemy,  and  the  three 
ships  that  were  trying  to  overpower  the  Akagi 
and  the  Hiyei  were  suddenly  thrown  upon  the 
defensive.  The  Japanese  warships  were  thus 
divided,  holding  the  enemy  at  their  mercy  be- 
tween them. 

The  third  phase  was  about  to  take  place. 

Meanwhile  the  hostile  fleets,  in  which  Japan 
and  China  had  gathered  their  bravest  and  most 
skillful  crews,  burst  into  a  furious  struggle, 
seeking  to  open  a  way  for  themselves  and  min- 
gling in  bloody  conflict. 

Like  giant  serpents  trying  to  tighten  their 

[266] 


THE    BATTLE    OF    YALU   EIVEE 

coils  about  a  monstrous  whale,  so  did  the 
stormy,  foaming  waves  of  the  Yellow  Sea  churn 
threateningly  about  the  vessels. 

Simultaneously  the  chief  squadron  at  the 
right  and  the  flying  squadron  at  the  left  assailed 
the  enemy  from  opposite  directions,  and  the 
battle  was  renewed  with  murderous  violence. 

The  more  bitter  the  battle  became  the  more 
Takeo  forgot  himself.  In  his  student  days,  he 
had  been  fond  of  baseball,  and  when  the  critical 
moment  would  arrive  he  would  forget  himself 
utterly  in  the  enthusiasm  of  the  game,  carried 
away  as  if  in  a  whirlwind.  Now  he  felt  the 
same  wild  emotion.  He  seemed  to  be  every- 
where at  once,  tireless,  his  nerves  stretched 
feverishly  to  the  snapping  point;  his  powers 
seemed  to  redouble,  as  if  in  a  sudden  delirium. 
The  problem  was  now  to  reduce  the  distance 
between  his  vessel  and  the  enemy;  now,  on  the 
other  hand,  to  retreat  rapidly  before  the  danger 
of  being  approached  too  closely,  surrounded 
and  cut  off  from  the  rest  of  the  fleet ;  now  this 
or  that  volley  was  to  be  directed  against  the 
enemy.  Takeo 's  voice  had  become  hoarse  as 
a  result  of  shouting  orders  to  his  subordinates. 
But  he  did  not  even  notice  it.  Shells  from  the 

[267] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

enemy  burst  upon  the  deck  of  the  Matsuskima, 
piercing  the  shields,  setting  fire  to  the  wood- 
work, covering  the  quarter-deck  with  blood. 
But  Takeo  paid  no  attention.  The  thundering 
of  the  enemy's  guns  was  as  sweet  music  to  his 
ears,  and  his  heart's  throbs  beat  time  to  it. 
Every  interruption  in  the  booming  of  the  can- 
non brought  dissatisfaction  to  him.  His  cool 
manner  and  evident  confidence  lent  new  cour- 
age to  his  companions.  They  paid  little  heed 
to  the  death-dealing  bombs  of  the  enemy;  they 
loaded,  aimed,  discharged  their  guns  with  the 
same  calmness  and  nonchalance  as  they  would 
have  employed  at  bloodless  maneuvers.  The 
guns  thundered  ceaselessly,  without  the  need  of 
orders;  the  dead  and  the  wounded  were  re- 
moved at  once  without  the  slightest  disorder. 
The  entire  system  of  military  organization 
operated  like  clock-work,  even  in  the  midst  of 
battle. 

In  the  meantime  the  general  aspect  of  the 
terrible  slaughter  was  rapidly  changing.  Now 
the  sea  and  the  sky,  veiled  by  thick  clouds  of 
black  smoke,  and  the  waves,  which  rose  furious 
and  foaming,  made  it  almost  impossible  to  see 
the  signal  flags.  From  moment  to  moment  the 
guns  boomed,  the  shells  exploded  with  a  crash, 

[268] 


THE    BATTLE    OF   YALU   RIVER 

projectiles  whistled  around  and  above  the  ships, 
while  the  tempestuous  sea  filled  the  air  with 
clouds  of  spray  that  splashed  from  the  fur- 
rowed waves. 

The  voice  of  the  captain  was  shouting. 

"Look!    The  Ting-yuen  is  in  flames!" 

Through  a  rift  in  the  dense  cloud  of  smoke 
could  be  seen  enveloped  in  a  column  of  fire  the 
prow  of  the  enemy's  ship,  which  bore  a  flag 
with  an  enormous  dragon. 

Takeo    and    his    sailors    shouted    excitedly. 

"Hurrah!    The  Ting-Yuen  is  on  fire!" 

"Forward!    Give  it  the  finishing  blow!" 

And  with  new  impetus  the  guns  were  dis- 
charged against  their  flaming  target. 

The  Chinese  fleet  was  now  in  complete  dis- 
order, caught  as  it  was  between  two  fires;  the 
Chao-yuen  had  sunk,  extinguishing  in  the  waves 
the  conflagration  that  was  devouring  it;  the 
Yong-wei  had  been  put  out  of  battle. 

The  Chen-yuen  was  rapidly  sinking,  the  Ting- 
yuen  was  wrapped  in  flames ;  even  the  Lai-yuen 
was  beginning  to  burn.  Unable  to  continue  the 
fight,  the  enemy  took  flight,  abandoning  the 
Ting-yuen  and  the  Chen-yuen. 

The  flying  squadron  launched  in  pursuit  of 
the  enemy  ships,  and  the  chief  squadron 

[269] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

directed  their  fire  against  the  Ting-yuen  and 
the  Chen-yuen. 

The  fourth  phase  of  the  struggle  had  begun. 

It  was  now  three  in  the  afternoon.  The  fire 
on  the  Ting-yuen  was  spreading,  but  the  ship 
put  up  a  vigorous  defense.  The  Chen-yuen 
stood  bravely  at  its  side  and  valorously,  fear- 
lessly indeed  did  those  two  gigantic  ironclads 
resist  the  assaults  of  their  enemies.  The  five 
vessels  of  the  Japanese  fleet  circled  around 
them  countless  times,  riddling  them  with  shells. 

At  about  3  : 30  P.M.  the  Matsushima  had 
worked  its  way  to  a  position  opposite  the 
Chinese  flagship,  and  when  Takeo  saw  that  his 
ship's  projectiles,  discharged  from  his  rapid- 
firing  guns  struck  the  side  of  the  enemy's  iron- 
clads, bounced  back  and  fell  into  the  water,  he 
became  furious;  he  bit  his  lips  and  madly 
grasped  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  shouting, 
"Captain!  They  must  bear  a  charm!  Look! 
Look!  ....  The  devil  is  in  this !" 

The  captain,  his  eyes  flashing  sparks,  was 
running  hither  and  thither  from  one  gun  to 
the  other. 

1 '  Fire !    Aim  at  the  deck !    The  deck ! ' ' 

"Fire! "shouted  Takeo. 

The  excited  gunners  discharged  their  guns 

[270] 


THE    BATTLE    OF    YALU   RIVER 

simultaneously  at  the  decks  of  the  Chinese  war- 
ships. 

1  'Another  one!"  exclaimed  Takeo.  A  hel- 
lish racket  shook  the  vessel  in  a  frightful 
dance,  as  if  a  volcano  had  suddenly  erupted. 
At  the  same  moment  he  felt  himself  struck  and 
thrown  to  the  ground  with  great  violence.  An 
enemy  shell  had  hit  the  rapid-firing  gun,  a  few 
paces  away.  "God!"  cried  Takeo,  getting  up, 
then  falling  heavily  back.  He  felt  excruciating 
pain  in  his  legs.  He  looked  about.  The  deck 
was  covered  with  blood  and  strips  of  human 
flesh.  The  captain  was  not  to  be  seen.  The 
shield  that  protected  the  cannon  was  pierced  by 
a  huge  hole  through  which  something  blue  could 
be  seen  moving:  the  sea. 

Overcome  by  pain  and  an  indescribably 
nauseating  odor,  Takeo  closed  his  eyes.  But 
he  could  still  hear  the  cries  of  the  wounded,  the 
crackling  of  burning  wood,  the  shout  "Fire! 
Fire !  To  the  pumps ! " 

Then  it  seemed  that  right  near  him  he  could 
hear  the  noise  of  hurried  footsteps,  and  four 
strong  arms  lifted  him  up.  As  they  touched 
his  legs  he  felt  a  terrible  pain  in  the  head  and 
a  cry  escaped  him.  He  imagined  that  a  fiery, 
luminous  vapor  enveloped  his  eyes,  and  he  lost 

consciousness. 

[271] 


CHAPTER  II 

In  Time  of  War 

IT  was  at  the  general  headquarters  at  Hiro- 
shima, toward  the  middle  of  October.  The 
first  division  had  long  since  left  for  Kintchu 
Hanto,  on  the  peninsula  of  Liao-tung.  The 
second  division  had  just  arrived, — an  army  of 
young,  vigorous  soldiers, — and  the  town  seemed 
altogether  too  small  to  hold  them.  Besides,  the 
Diet  had  been  convoked  in  extraordinary  ses- 
sion, and  six  hundred  deputies  had  arrived  at 
the  capital  one  after  the  other.  The  place  was 
in  great  confusion  and  bustle.  Everywhere  re- 
sounded the  noise  of  rolling  kurumas  hastening 
hither  and  thither;  the  tramp,  tramp  of  the 
troops;  the  clanking  of  the  sabres.  The  town 
of  Sanyo  was  alive  with  animation  comparable 
to  that  which  had  reigned  in  Kyoto  at  the  time 
of  the  Restoration. 

In  Otemachi  street,  one  of  the  largest  of  the 
place,  could  be  read  at  the  entrances  to  the 
hotels  the  names  of  the  chief  personages  there 
lodged.  "His  Royal  Highness,  Prince  Arisu- 

[272] 


IN  TIME   OF  WAR 

gawa,  Chief  of  General  Staff;"  "His  Excel- 
lency, Minister  Ito;"  "Lieutenant  General 
Kawakami,"  and  so  on.  Two  or  three  streets 
down  every  house  was  placarded  with  notices : 
"Military  Requisition  Bureau.  Number  of 
mats.  Number  of  rooms."  The  overflow  of 
soldiers  who  had  not  been  able  to  find  room  in 
the  barracks  had  been  quartered  in  private 
houses ;  almost  every  house  bore  a  notice  upon 
which  was  written  the  names  of  the  officers  and 
sub-officers,  and  the  number  of  men  in  the  com- 
pany. Here  and  there  various  offices  had 
sprung  up,  "Sake  Sold  Here." — "Canteen" — 
* '  Enrolment  Bureau. ' ' — * '  Equipment ' ' — From 
outside,  shadowy  figures  could  be  seen  hasten- 
ing hither  and  thither  about  the  inside.  Be- 
fore one  store  were  some  bottles  of  lemonade 
that  were  being  arranged  in  large  cases ;  at  an- 
other was  a  young  fellow,  perspiring  freely  as 
he  packed  boxes  of  biscuits  that  were  piled  up 
in  the  hundreds  near  by. 

Just  cast  your  glance  over  the  street.  Here 
is  a  mounted  officer  galloping  by  on  horseback, 
on  his  way  to  the  headquarters.  There  comes 
a  kuruma  post  haste ;  in  it  sits  a  journalist,  pen- 
cil behind  his  ear,  doubtless  on  his  way  to  the 
telegraph  office.  Men  are  hastening  from  the 

[273] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

station,  valises  in  hand  and  swords  wrapped  in 
a  kind  of  yellow  cotton  cloth;  their  faces  are 
tanned  by  the  sun  and  they  are  still  wearing 
their  summer  uniforms,  soiled  and  in  need  of 
mending;  they  must  be  coming  from  Ujina, 
where  their  boat  landed  this  very  morning.  An 
old  senator,  whose  picture  I  remember  having 
seen  in  some  magazine  or  other,  passes  them 
by  in  his  carriage.  Some  soldiers  soon  to  be 
hurried  to  Manchuria  are  marking  time  in  the 
street,  humming  tunes  in  their  nasal  voices. 
Further  off,  on  a  veranda,  a  gay  young  chap 
with  a  florid  face  is  singing  a  martial  tune  in 
a  northern  accent.  From  the  other  side  of  the 
river  some  young,  fresh  voices  reply  to  him; 
but  these  voices  come  from  natives,  as  may 
easily  be  discerned. 

At  the  corner  of  the  street  a  large  sign  calls 
attention  to  a  store.  "Army  Supplies."  Be- 
side this  seven-foot  sign  are  several  smaller 
ones.  Before  the  entrance  lie  piled  up,  one  on 
top  of  the  other,  woolen  blankets  and  winter 
clothes.  A  man,  evidently  the  superintendent, 
is  giving  orders  to  a  half  dozen  street  gamins 
busily  engaged  in  making  bundles.  No  loafing 
in  that  place,  to  be  sure.  Soon  a  man  of  about 
fifty  comes  hurrying  out  of  his  store,  accom- 

[274] 


IN  TIME   OF  WAR 

panying  a  visitor  to  the  door.  He  is  bald  and 
has  a  large  red  mole  under  his  left  eye.  He 
gives  several  orders  to  the  superintendent  and 
is  about  to  go  in  again  when  he  notices  a  kuruma 
running  up  the  street  at  a  rapid  pace. 

"Oh!    Tazaki-san!    Ohe!    Tazaki-san!" 

His  cries  were  in  vain,  for  the  kuruma  rolled 
along  on  its  way.  One  of  the  boys  nearby  was 
hurriedly  despatched  after  it,  and  soon  the 
kuruma  stopped  and  turned,  coming  back  to- 
ward the  store. 

A  man  of  about  fifty  came  down  from  the 
vehicle;  his  countenance  was  of  a  bronze  tint, 
his  beard  thick  and  gray.  He  wore  a  black  silk 
haori  and  a  hat  that  bore  witness  to  long 
service.  He  did  not  appear  to  be  over  pleased 
at  having  been  summoned.  However,  he  at 
once  recognized  the  person  who  had  sent  for 
him,  for  as  he  crossed  the  threshold  he  ex- 
claimed, "What!  Is  it  you,  Yamaki?  Eeally 
you!" 

' '  And  how  are  you,  Tazaki-san  ?  Since  when 
did  you  come  back  f ' ' 

"I  am  on  my  way  to  the  next  train  for 
Tokyo,"  said  Tazaki  stepping  down,  walking 
into  the  store  over  the  coarse  straw  mats  and 
the  thick  ropes  near  the  door. 

[275] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

"So  soon?     Where  have  you  been,  then?" 

"Up  to  the  present,  at  Saseho.  Now  I'm  on 
my  way  home. ' ' 

"At  Saseho?  On  a  visit  to  Takeo-sanl  Your 
master  I  should  say." 

"Yes." 

"It  wasn't  nice  of  you  to  go  right  by  me  like 
that  without  stepping  in  to  see  me!  ....  I'm 
very  much  surprised  that  I've  received  not  a 
word  about  you  from  either  my  daughter  or  the 
old  baroness." 

"Ah!    I  was  in  such  a  hurry!" 

"But  it  would  hardly  be  so  great  an  incon- 
venience or  loss  of  time  to  step  in  for  a  moment, 
at  least.  Make  yourself  comfortable.  Dismiss 
the  kuruma.  You  can  take  the  next  train.  .  .  . 
How  is  Takeo-san?  I  have  heard  that  he  has 
recovered  at  the  Saseho  military  hospital.  At 
that  very  time  I  was  busy  with  the  departure 
of  the  first  division,  and  could  only  find  the  time 
to  write  him  a  short  letter  of  sympathy.  Well, 
how  is  he  now?  Were  his  bones  broken?  Ah! 
The  thigh?  I'm  ever  so  glad  that  he's  getting 
better  now.  His  mother  will  feel  easier,  too." 

Tazaki  looked  at  his  watch  and  arose,  but 
Yamaki  seized  him  by  the  sleeve  and  protested. 

"What's  your  hurry?    I  have  a  message  to 

[276] 


IN  TIME   OF  WAR 

give  you  for  the  baroness.  You  can  leave  by 
the  last  train,  can't  you?  There's  still  plenty 
of  time.  I'll  leave  a  few  instructions  here  and 
then  we'll  go  out  for  a  drink  of  sake.  Besides 
....  we  Ve  got  excellent  fish  here." 

The  sun  was  sinking,  setting  the  waves  of 
the  river  Amayatu  aflame  with  its  fiery  rays, 
and  enveloping  in  its  last  beams  the  little  tea- 
house on  the  shore. 

On  the  second  story  a  large,  agitated,  tur- 
bulent crowd  was  making  a  loud  noise.  A  meet- 
ing was  taking  place  there,  for  the  purpose  of 
discussing  a  controversy  that  had  arisen  within 
the  ranks  of  the  special  Diet. 

On  the  floor  beneath,  in  an  isolated  room, 
Yamaki  and  Tazaki  were  engrossed  in  a  secret 
conversation.  They  desired  to  be  alone,  hence 
no  woman  was  waiting  upon  them. 

Tazaki  had  been  steward  in  the  Kawashima 
house  since  the  days  when  Takeo's  father  yet 
lived.  He  had  continued  in  the  same  position, 
but  now  dwelt  in  a  neighboring  house  of  his  own. 
He  was  not  a  man  of  great  intelligence,  but  he 
deemed  it  unworthy  of  himself  to  fill  his  own 
purse  at  the  expense  of  his  master's  income, 
and  therefore  enjoyed  the  full  confidence  of 
Takeo  and  the  widow,  and  had  been  sent  to 

[277] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

visit  his  master,  who  was  ill  at  the  hospital  in 
Saseho. 

Yamaki  sipped  his  glass  of  sake,  placed  his 
hand  against  his  forehead  and  then  spoke. 

"The  fact  is  that  I  stayed  only  a  day  in 
Tokyo,  then  I  had  to  return  at  once  to  Hiro- 
shima and  was  thus  unable  to  learn  just  how 
affairs  stood.  So  it  seems  that  Nami-ko-san 
was  seriously  ill  ?  It  certainly  was  a  cruel  thing 
to  do !  Still,  it  was  necessary,  in  order  to  shield 
the  Kawashima  family.  So  she 's  really  better 
now,  and  is  again  at  Zushi?  You  never  can 
tell  anything  about  this  disease.  It's  incura- 
ble, and  despite  favorable  signs,  is  fatal,  as 
you  know.  What  does  Takeo-san  think  about 
it  I  Is  he  still  angry  ? ' ' 

Tazaki,  swallowing  the  savory  soup  by  the 
spoonfuls,  replied  slowly. 

"Yes.  There's  the  rub.  The  widow  was  con- 
cerned only  with  the  welfare  of  her  house,  and 
in  view  of  that  we  may  be  lenient  in  regard  to 
her  overstepping  the  bounds.  But  don't  you 
think,  Yamaki,  that  she  pushed  her  maternal 
rights  altogether  too  far  when  she  took  ad- 
vantage of  our  master's  absence  and  drove  his 
wife  away  without  even  consulting  him?  Of 
course  I  advised  her  repeatedly  to  wait  till  her 

[278] 


IN   TIME    OF   WAE 

son  came  back ;  but  you  know  her  character.  .  .  . 
Personally  I  hold  that  my  master  is  right  and 
I  say  that  his  anger  is  completely  justified.  .  .  . 
Then  there's  that  other  thorn,  Chijiwa.  They 
say  he's  in  China  at  present,  isn't  he?" 

Yamaki  looked  intently  at  the  questioner's 
face. 

Chijiwa?  Yes.  He  left  a  short  while  ago. 
I,  too,  have  had  some  unpleasantness  with  him. 
I've  had  to  pay  pretty  dearly  for  my  relations 
with  that  fellow.  He  had  the  impudence  to  ask 
me  for  a  farewell  gift,  adding  that  in  case  he 
should  be  killed  it  would  serve  as  my  last 
tribute  of  affection.1  Then  he  said  that  in  case 
he  survived  the  war  he  would  return  with  the 
order  of  the  Golden  Hawk.  And  in  that  man- 
ner he  got  more  than  a  hundred  yen  out  of  me. 
Well,  to  come  back  to  Takeo-san.  He'll  come 
to  Tokyo  as  soon  as  he's  cured,  won't  he?" 

"Ah!  No.  He  proposes  to  go  back  to  the 
war. ' ' 

"Really?  I  know  he's  a  brave  fellow,  but 
don't  you  think  he  ought  to  prefer  returning  to 
his  house  and  be  reconciled  with  his  mother  ?  I 
don't  know  how  great  his  affection  was  for 
Nami-ko-san,  but  now  that  the  marriage  is  dis- 

1  Koden,  —  a  gift  sent  to  the  family  of  the  deceased. 

[279] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

solved,  and  that  his  first  wife  is  so  seriously  ill, 
it  might  be  well  for  him  to  renew  his  relations 
with  his  mother.  Indeed,  there 's  no  other  solu- 
tion possible  than  to  forget  the  past  and  let  the 
wound  heal.  What  do  you  think,  Tazaki?" 

''Our  master  is  so  good,  that  even  if  his 
mother  was  wrong  he  imagines  that  his  own 
conduct  has  not  been  above  reproach.  My  visit 
took  place  at  the  express  desire  of  the  baroness, 
so  that  we  can 't  speak  of  an  attempt  at  concilia- 
tion on  the  part  of  Takeo-san.  Still.  ..." 

' t  Of  course  it 's  hardly  the  proper  time  to  talk 
of  engagements  in  these  days  of  war, '  *  resumed 
Yamaki,  "but  the  best  possible  thing  for  him 
would  be  to  take  another  wife.  Don't  you  think 
so,  Tazaki?  Couldn't  he  forget  Nami-ko-san 
once  and  for  all,  and  make  peace  with  his 
mother?  Of  course,  young  folks  don't  forget 
their  first  love  so  soon,  but  when  they  find  an- 
other they  fall  in  love  again  pretty  easily." 

"The  baroness  thinks  the  same  way,  but ..." 

"Do  you  mean  that  it  will  not  be  easy  to  per- 
suade him?" 

"As  you  know,  he  is  very  stubborn." 

"That's  all  very  well,  but  when  it's  a  ques- 
tion of  his  own  future,  and  that  of  his  house. . . " 

Their  conversation  was  interrupted  for  a  few 

[  280  J 


IN  TIME   OF   WAR 

moments.  It  seemed  that  on  the  floor  above 
the  discussion  had  been  finished,  for  a  loud 
applause  resounded.  The  windows  scarcely 
shone  with  the  pale  light  of  the  evening,  and 
from  afar  came  the  sounds  of  military  trum- 
pets. 

Yamaki  cleansed  his  sake  cup  by  dipping  it 
into  a  water  basin  and  offered  it  to  his  guest. 

' '  Tazaki-san,  how  is  my  little  daughter  over 
at  the  Kawashimas?  She's  so  inexperienced 
that  it  will  be  hard  for  her  to  satisfy  the 
baroness 's  requirements. ' ' 

About  a  month  after  Nami's  departure, 
Yamaki  had  sent  his  daughter  Toyo  to  the 
widow  Kawashima  under  pretext  of  having  the 
girl  acquire  good  manners  under  the  guidance 
of  the  baroness.  In  reality,  of  course,  his  aim 
was  far  different.  He  was  now  very  anxious 
to  hear  what  had  taken  place. 

But  Tazaki  laughed  in  silence.  Doubtless  he 
had  recalled  some  comical  incident. 

When  Takeo  had  left  his  home  in  anger,  his 
mother  had  looked  at  him  with  terrible  eyes, 
shouting,  "Go,  disobedient  son!  Out  of  my 
sight!" 

The  widow  knew  that  Takeo  had  always  been 
[281] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

a  model  child  and  had  never  opposed  her  will, 
yet  despite  this,  and  despite  her  knowledge  of 
his  great  love  for  Nami,  she  held  that  in  case 
of  a  conflict  between  Takeo 's  love  for  his  wife 
and  his  duty  toward  his  mother,  he  should  sur- 
render the  first.  For  this  reason,  too,  she  had 
soon  overcome  her  hesitancy  and  had  brought 
the  matter  to  completion  during  her  son's  ab- 
sence, telling  herself  again  and  again  that  her 
only  motive  was  the  welfare  of  Takeo  and  of 
the  family.  When,  however,  she  beheld  her 
son's  explosion  of  wrath  she  began  to  under- 
stand that  she  had  committed  an  error  and  that 
a  mother  does  not  possess  unlimited  power  over 
her  son. 

Up  to  that  moment  she  had  followed  with  a 
jealous  eye  Takeo 's  growing  and  enduring  love 
for  Nami.  But  when  she  saw  that  her  son's 
affection,  respect  and  obedience  disappeared  be- 
fore his  love  for  a  girl  who  was  at  the  point 
of  death,  she  felt  even  more  keenly  the  loss  of 
all  her  influence  over  her  son,  and  it  seemed 
that  she  had  been  robbed  of  a  recompense  that 
was  due  to  her  because  of  her  past  sacrifices. 

Nevertheless  her  anger  against  Takeo  showed 
no  signs  of  subsiding,  and  for  a  long  time  after 

[282] 


IN  TIME   OF  WAR 

Nami's  departure  she  did  not  cease  to  inveigh 
against  him. 

But  still  another  thing  added  fuel  to  the 
flames. 

For,  in  a  hidden  corner  of  her  heart  there 
lodged  an  undefined  fear,  a  vague  sense  of  dis- 
satisfaction ....  the  voice  of  conscience  was 
making  itself  heard.  However  much  she  could 
not  excuse  her  son's  rebellious  attitude,  she 
feared  none  the  less  that  she  had  gone  beyond 
the  rights  of  a  mother. 

What  a  power  for  good  here  below  is  peace 
of  mind !  On  the  contrary,  how  angry  you  feel 
when  somebody  tells  you  to  your  face,  or  some 
inner  voice  whispers  to  you,  "You  have  done 
wrong ! ' '  Man  is  sometimes  humbled  before  the 
tribunal  of  his  own  conscience,  however,  and 
hates  to  bend  his  knee,  flushing  at  the  wrong 
he  has  done.  When  a  savage  beast  is  struck  by 
an  arrow  it  howls ;  when  man  discovers  his  mis- 
take, he  feels  resentment.  This  explains  why 
this  woman,  feeling  the  sting  of  remorse,  flew 
into  a  fury.  Her  anger  against  her  son,  her 
hatred  of  Nami-san,  increased  in  violence. 

Takeo  had  left  his  mother,  slamming  the  door 
behind  him.  A  day  passed,  then  two,  then 
weeks,  and  Takeo  had  not  returned  to  ask  for- 

[283] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

giveness.  Not  only  this,  but  he  had  sent  no 
letters  and  written  no  apologies.  Her  heart 
brimming  with  anger,  the  widow  poured  out 
her  fury  upon  the  first  thing  or  person  that 
crossed  her  path;  this  relieved  her  somewhat. 
She  would  grow  angry  at  thought  of  Takeo,  at 
thought  of  Nami,  at  remembrance  of  the  past 
or  on  considering  the  prospects  for  the  future ; 
she  grew  irritated  at  thought  of  her  rheumatic 
pains,  and  because  of  her  solitude  and  the 
general  helplessness  of  the  situation.  Thus 
heaping  one  cause  for  anger  upon  another  she 
would  sink  beneath  the  weight  and  at  last  fall 
asleep  from  sheer  exhaustion. 

The  Kawashima  home  had  become  almost 
unbearable.  The  servants,  tired  of  living  in 
such  an  atmosphere  of  anger,  more  than  once 
had  packed  up  their  things,  ready  to  leave.  But 
they  were  used  to  these  outbursts. 

At  this  juncture  news  of  the  battle  near  the 
Phung  Islands  and  the  naval  victory  of  As  an 
spread  through  the  city. 

The  widow  lived  through  days  in  great 
anxiety,  all  the  more  so  because  Takeo  had  not 
written  a  word  to  her  ever  since  he  had  left  for 
the  war.  Her  sad  lonesomeness  increased  when 
she  heard  the  news  of  other  mothers  who  had 

[284] 


IN  TIME   OF  WAR 

come  to  Tokyo  to  bid  their  sons  good-bye,  and 
how  their  sons  later  sent  them  letters  regularly. 
She  began  to  fear  that  death,  at  any  moment, 
might  snatch  her  son  away  and  that  she  would 
never  see  him  again.  In  this  moment  of  terri- 
ble anxiety,  after  a  short  struggle  with  her 
pride,  she  sent  two  letters  to  Takeo  that  should 
reach  him  before  he  faced  the  enemy. 

About  a  month  later  Takeo 's  reply  arrived 
in  the  form  of  a  telegram,  sent  from  the  hos- 
pital at  Saseho,  where  he  lay  wounded.  The 
hands  of  the  poor  mother  trembled  as  she 
opened  the  dispatch.  And  although  the  message 
spoke  of  recovery,  she  was  very  uneasy  and  sent 
Tazaki  to  bring  back  more  exact  information  in 
regard  to  her  son's  health. 

When  Tazaki  came  back  from  Saseho  the 
widow  Kawashima  was  somewhat  reassured. 
Now  she  could  look  forward  to  embracing  her 
son,  brought  back  to  health,  and  already  she 
gave  thought  to  providing  him  with  a  wife  as 
soon  as  the  war  should  be  over.  Thus  she  hoped 
to  distract  his  mind  from  sad  recollections  of 
Nami,  and  at  the  same  time  to  lay  the  founda- 
tions for  the  family's  future  prosperity.  She 
even  proposed  to  profit  by  the  experience  of 

[285] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

her  past  error  and  to  seek  to  make  reparation 
for  her  arbitrary  actions. 

Thus  her  single  preoccupation  became  the 
duty  of  looking  around  for  a  suitable  second 
wife  for  Takeo.  She  went  over  mentally  the 
entire  list  of  her  young  lady  acquaintances  and 
friends  ....  but  she  could  not  find  a  woman  that 
corresponded  to  her  desires. 

It  was  precisely  at  this  point  in  the  widow's 
investigations  that  young  0-Toyo  came  to  the 
Kawashima  household,  sent  thither  to  acquire 
good  manners.  Naturally,  Yamaki  's  secret  pur- 
pose did  not  escape  Mme.  Kawashima,  so  that 
she  soon  realized  that  O-Toyo  was  by  no  means 
free  of  faults. 

However,  the  widow,  who  had  exhausted  her 
resources,  decided  to  look  into  this  possibility, 
too,  thus  seconding  Yamaki 's  wish.  For  this 
reason  she  determined  to  subject  0-Toyo  to  a 
rigid  regime  of  examination. 

It  was  the  result  of  this  examination  that 
brought  the  smile  to  Tazaki  's  lips.  Neither  the 
widow  nor  Toyo  had  been  satisfied  with  the 
outcome  of  the  test,  and  the  servants  began 
to  make  fun  of  the  poor  girl  behind  her  back. 
At  first,  indeed,  there  had  been  a  period  of 
calm ;  then  a  circumspect  dart,  then  a  continued 

[286] 


IN   TIME   OF   WAR 

bombardment.  .  .  .  This  was  the  regular  plan 
of  battle  that  was  used  by  the  widow  with  all 
her  subordinates.  It  was  the  same  system  that 
she  had  adopted  toward  Nami,  whose  feelings 
had  thus  been  so  cruelly  wounded.  Now  it  was 
Toyo  's  turn.  But  that  girl  had  a  most  enviable 
character,  for  she  possessed  the  secret  of  being 
insensible  to  whatever  was  going  on  about  her ; 
so  that  the  attacks  and  the  arrows  of  the  widow 
had  no  more  effect  than  a  drop  of  rain.  Mme. 
Kawashima  made  up  her  mind  to  employ 
harsher  measures. 

It  was  Toyo's  nature  to  love  her  own  com- 
fort, and  her  spirit  was  phlegmatic  and  lazy; 
not  only  did  she  reveal  a  lack  of  pride,  but  it 
even  seemed  that  she  lacked  personality  al- 
together. 

When  Toyo,  in  the  spring  evenings,  would 
walk  alone  among  the  flower-beds  of  the  garden, 
with  her  body  and  soul  alike  enveloped  in  a 
rosy  cloud,  tasting  the  sweetness  of  relief  from 
the  hands  of  her  tyrant,  and  of  losing  herself 
in  dreams,  she  was  no  longer  the  jealous  girl 
who  had  been  languishing  for  love  of  Takeo. 
Once  inside  the  Kawashima  home  she  had 
quickly  learned  what  a  dear  price  she  would 
have  to  pay  for  her  love.  Scarcely  did  she  get 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

up  every  morning  when  a  long,  laborious  day's 
work  awaited  her,  with  reproofs  and  sarcasm 
as  her  only  reward  from  the  widow.  "If  this 
were  not  my  sweetheart's  house,"  she  would 
often  tell  herself,  "I'd  flee  from  it  without  a 
moment 's  hesitation ! ' '  But  if  she  was  to  attain 
her  goal  she  must  persist.  From  time  to  time 
she  would  visit  her  mother  to  get  new  courage, 
only  Toyo  promised  herself  that  she  would 
never  fall  in  love  again. 

The  widow  Kawashima  looked  upon  0-Toyo 
as  the  safety-valve  through  which  to  vent  all 
repressed  anger,  while  the  servants  used  the 
poor  girl  as  a  target  for  their  gibes.  She,  with 
a  patience  that  she  had  never  before  displayed, 
waited  for  better  days  when  her  beloved  should 
return. 

The  arrival  of  O-Toyo  had  been  a  source  of 
new  cares  for  the  widow.  "The  lost  pearl  is 
beyond  price ;  the  daughter-in-law  who  has  gone 
appears  as  the  paragon  of  wisdom  and  virtue, ' ' 
says  the  proverb.  There  was  no  comparison 
between  Nami-ko  and  O-Toyo.  Each  mistake 
made  by  Toyo  irritated  the  widow  all  the  more 
in  that  she  was  forced  to  recall  how  gracefully 
and  perfectly  Nami  used  to  do  her  work.  Now 
the  baroness  thought  with  regret  of  the  young 

[288] 


IN   TIME   OF   WAR 

wife  whom  she  had  at  first  so  grievously  judged. 

Nami  was  modest,  diligent,  graceful  in  her 
movements,  and  although  she  did  not  at  first 
appear  striking  or  fascinating,  still  her  grace 
and  her  gentleness  soon  conquered  those  who 
came  in  contact  with  her.  The  widow  had  early 
learned  to  take  advantage  of  Nami's  kindness 
and  had  never  praised  her  good  qualities,  al- 
though she  had  silently  noticed  how  sensible 
Nami  was  for  her  age. 

When  Toyo  sat  before  the  widow,  her  eyes 
half  closed  and  her  mouth  opened  in  silly 
fashion,  the  baroness  could  not  help  recalling 
Nami's  delicate  profile,  her  thick,  raven-black 
hair,  her  intelligent  eyes  that  rose  to  her  own 
as  if  to  interpret  an  unexpressed  desire. 

The  widow's  heart  beat  fast,  agitated  by  the 
feeling  of  a  hidden  remorse,  and  she  tried  with 
all  her  strength  to  drive  the  recollections  from 
her  mind,  murmuring  resentfully,  as  if  to 
justify  her  cruel  deed,  "It  was  wrong  of  her 
to  fall  ill!" 

Despite  this  the  strange  feeling  persisted: 
a  feeling  that  she  dispelled  with  an  attack  of 
bad  humor  and  banished  with  a  tempest  of 
abuse  upon  poor  Toyo's  head. 

Thus  it  came  about  that  at  the  very  moment 

[289] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

in  which  Yamaki  was  confidentially  informing 
Tazaki  of  his  plan  to  make  Toyo  the  second  wife 
of  Takeo,  the  relations  between  the  Baroness 
Kawashima  and  the  young  girl  underwent  a 
crisis  almost  as  violent  as  the  contemporaneous 
conflict  between  Japan  and  China. 

' '  Shall  I  send  her  back  ?  How  shall  I  get  rid 
of  her?" 

Another  drop,  and  the  cup  of  the  widow's 
patience  would  run  over. 


[290] 


CHAPTER  III 

Recovery 

THE  chirping  of  the  sparrows  almost  at 
his  bedside  awakened  Takeo.  He  opened 
his  eyes. 

He  raised  his  arm,  which  had  been  stretched 
across  the  counterpane,  and  drew  aside  the  cur- 
tains. The  morning  sun  that  was  rising  above 
the  hills  flooded  the  sick  man's  room  with  its 
festive  beams.  The  slopes  of  the  far  away  hills 
could  just  be  made  out  in  the  cloud  of  mist, 
but  the  autumn  sky  above  was  of  clear,  even 
blue,  and  provided  a  magnificent  background 
for  the  branches  of  a  cherry-tree  that  rose  not 
far  from  the  window.  Some  birds  were  flitting 
from  bough  to  bough,  with  restless  song.  Two 
of  them  flew  right  into  the  room  and  stopped 
for  an  instant  to  exchange  a  glance  of  sympathy 
with  Takeo,  who  rose  from  his  pillow  not  with- 
out pain.  But  soon  they  flew  off,  as  if  some- 
thing had  frightened  or  surprised  them.  Mean- 
while, from  the  tree  that  they  had  left  there 
fell  slowly  to  the  ground,  through  the  peaceful 
air,  several  leaves  of  golden  color. 

[291] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Takeo  smiled  at  this  gay  greeting  from  Na- 
ture,— at  the  gentle  sounds  that  had  awakened 
him.  Then  his  head  fell  back  upon  the  pillow, 
and  a  wrinkle  appeared  on  his  forehead,  as  if 
caused  by  a  sudden  pain.  He  lay  back  quietly 
and  shut  his  eyes  again. 

The  morning  was  peaceful ;  no  noise  came  to 
disturb  the  patients.  From  afar  came  the 
crowing  of  a  cock  and  a  fisherman's  song.  .  .  . 

From  time  to  time  Takeo  opened  his  eyes, 
only  to  close  them  at  once,  as  if  absorbed  in 
deep  thoughts. 

More  than  a  month  before  he  had  been 
wounded  and  brought  to  the  hospital  at  Saseho. 
He  had  been  struck  by  a  piece  of  a  shell  that 
had  exploded  near  the  shield  of  the  gun.  For- 
tunately the  wound  had  not  reached  to  the  bone, 
but  had  been  confined  only  to  a  laceration  of 
the  flesh. 

The  captain  of  his  division  had  been  blown 
to  pieces  and  many  of  his  comrades  had  been 
killed.  Few  of  the  gunners  had  escaped  with- 
out injury. 

During  the  first  days  after  he  had  been  trans- 
ported to  the  hospital  he  had  lain  in  a  feverish 
delirium,  brandishing  his  arms  wildly  about, 

[292] 


RECOVERY 

taunting  the  enemy  and  shouting  orders,  but 
his  robust  youth  soon  asserted  itself  and  his 
general  condition  began  to  improve  rapidly. 
After  a  month,  although  the  wound  was  still 
painful,  he  was  already  able  to  leave  the  room 
for  several  hours  at  a  time,  escaping  from  its 
odor  of  medicines  to  the  pure,  fresh  air  of  the 
clear  autumn.  The  surgeon,  it  is  true,  muttered 
objection  to  the  patient's  haste. 

Takeo  awaited  impatiently  the  moment  when 
he  would  be  discharged  and  could  return  to  the 
war. 

How  strange!  That  life  which  he  had  des- 
pised as  a  vain  thing  had  not  cared  to  leave 
him.  With  the  passing  of  the  fever  and  the 
pain  he  felt,  despite  himself,  a  rebirth  of  his 
love  of  life,  but  together  with  this  were  reborn, 
too,  certain  sad  regrets  and  recollections.  His 
memory,  which  had  apparently  been  obliterated 
in  the  heat  of  combat,  and  later  in  the  delirious 
fever,  now  returned. 

Just  as  a  grave  physical  illness  may  have  the 
effect  of  renewing  one's  constitution  and  forti- 
fying the  body,  so  had  the  terrible  crisis  that 
had  brought  Takeo  face  to  face  with  death 
given  his  thoughts  a  brighter  aspect. 

The   grievous  blow  and  the   extraordinary 

[293] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

events  that  had  saddened  and  darkened  his  life 
in  recent  months  had  also  kept  his  heart  in  a 
state  of  continued  tension.  Now  the  brunt  of 
the  storm  was  past,  but  the  dashing  waves  of 
his  troubled  soul  had  not  yet  subsided,  for 
down  in  the  depths  reigned  a  wild  grief,  while, 
on  the  surface,  the  feelings  that  appeared  now 
and  then,  like  pale  nymphs  on  a  tempestuous 
sea,  already  announced  a  period  of  greater 
calm. 

Takeo  no  longer  harbored  any  rancor  against 
his  mother.  The  memory  of  Nami  he  preserved 
in  his  innermost  soul  as  that  of  a  departed,  be- 
loved one.  And  his  thoughts  turned  to  her  as 
to  a  sad,  sweet  being  that  smiled  to  him  from 
afar. 

Tazaki  came  to  visit  him  and  he  had  word  of 
his  mother  and  some  vague  news  of  Nami,  too. 
But  the  few  words  he  heard  about  her  were 
enough  to  bring  the  tears  to  his  eyes. 

After  that,  in  his  troubled  dreams  there  often 
appeared  the  white  apparition  of  a  sick  girl, 
alone  in  a  garden  where  the  wind  beat  furiously 
against  the  young  firs.  This  sweet  vision  alter- 
nated with  the  horrible  scene  of  the  battle  of 
the  Yalu  river. 

[294] 


EECOVEEY 

Several  days  after  Tazaki  had  left  for  the 
east  two  parcels  were  delivered  into  Takeo's 
hands.  The  address  of  the  sender  did  not 
appear. 

Takeo's  thoughts  turned  to  what  had  hap- 
pened to  him  a  week  before. 

He  had  just  thrown  the  paper  away  and  his 
gaze  had  begun  to  follow  the  clouds  through 
the  window.  His  room  mate  had  left  the  day 
before,  so  that  now  Takeo  was  alone.  The 
afternoon  was  advanced,  and  inside  it  was  be- 
ginning to  get  dark,  while  without,  the  autumn 
rain  fell  ceaselessly.  In  the  neighboring  room 
a  wounded  soldier  was  receiving  electric  treat- 
ment and  Takeo  could  hear  the  muffled  noise  of 
the  apparatus  which  accompanied  that  of  the 
rain-drops  against  the  window  panes,  making 
the  solitude  sadder  than  ever.  Takeo  looked 
absent-mindedly  at  the  tops  of  the  trees  sway- 
ing in  the  wind  and  at  the  thin  boughs  that  bent 
and  straightened  up  in  rapid  turn.  Lost  in  sad 
imaginings  he  watched  the  stirring  of  the 
bushes  for  some  time,  then  with  a  sudden  mo- 
tion hid  his  head  under  the  covers.  He  had 
lain  thus  for  about  five  minutes  when  he  heard 
some  one  enter. 

[295] 


THE   HEART   OF    NAMI-SAN 

"A  package  and  a  box  for  you.  Are  you 
sleeping?" 

Takeo  raised  his  head  and  saw  a  boy 
approaching  the  bedside. 

1  'What's  that?  For  me?"  exclaimed  Takeo. 
" Where  does  it  come  from?" 

The  boy  read  the  name  of  the  sender  ....  a 
name  that  sounded  rather  new  to  Takeo 's  ears. 

"Open  the  box  and  unwrap  the  package, 
please." 

When  the  top  covering  of  the  bundle  had  been 
removed  a  small  packet  appeared,  wrapped  in 
a  bright  red  material.  It  contained  a  coat  of 
light  wool,  a  soft,  white  vest,  a  belt  of  white 
crape,  a  pair  of  embroidered  slippers  and  a 
cushion  of  softest  down.  The  box  was  full  of 
pears  and  bananas,  his  favorite  fruits. 

Takeo 's  heart  beat  faster. 

"No  letter?" 

The  boy  looked  again  and  again,  but  could 
discover  no  message. 

"Let  me  see  the  first  note." 

Takeo  read  his  name  and  his  heart  leaped 
for  joy.  ...  A  wave  of  hot  blood  rushed 
to  his  face.  .  .  .  Her  dear  little  hand  had 
written  his  name.  .  .  .  Her  very  own!  And 
who  else,  indeed,  could  it  have  been?  Was  not 

[296] 


RECOVERY 

the  white,  soft  material  she  had  sent  stained 
with  the  tears  that  had  flown  from  her  adored 
eyes  ?  Had  not  her  weak  hand  trembled  as  she 
wrote  I  Takeo  was  impatient  to  be  left  alone. .  . 
Then  he  gave  free  vent  to  his  repressed  sobs, 
to  his  tears  of  mingled  grief  and  joy. 

Takeo  now  realized  clearly  that  Nami  occu- 
pied his  soul  forever,  and  that  in  her  heart,  too, 
dwelt  an  infinite  love.  All  day  long  he  was 
accompanied  by  thoughts  of  her,  and  during  the 
night,  she  came  to  him  in  sweet  dreams. 

He  felt  that  not  even  death  would  be  able 
to  sever  their  souls,  despite  the  fact  that  social 
laws  and  conventions  had  raised  a  barrier  to 
divide  the  region  of  dreams  from  that  of 
reality.  The  world  could  do  whatever  it 
pleased  to  part  them,  but  Nami  would  forever 
remain  his  sweet  little  wife. 

His  mother,  in  her  name,  had  separated  him 
from  his  wife,  and  Nami's  father  had  ratified 
the  separation.  No  bonds  united  them  hence- 
forth in  the  eyes  of  the  world.  Would  it  not 
be  possible,  once  he  was  completely  recovered, 
to  call  her  back,  to  receive  her  once  again  as 
his  wife  I  Ah !  What  an  enchanting  dream  that 
was!  But  no,  it  was  impossible.  Takeo  knew 

[297] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

only  too  well  that  the  social  customs  of  his  coun- 
try absolutely  prohibited  the  renewing  of  bonds 
once  dissolved.  He  knew  that  any  attempt  in 
this  direction  was  doomed  to  failure,  in  addi- 
tion to  increasing  the  bad  feelings  between  him 
and  his  mother.  And  Takeo  could  not  forget 
how  bitterly  he  had  sustained  his  struggle 
against  her. 

Yet  how  insupportable  was  the  thought  that 
in  all  the  wide  world  he  could  not  own  the 
liberty  of  loving  whom  he  chose !  From  day  to 
day  this  sense  of  helplessness  gradually  in- 
creased, soothed  only  by  the  thought  that  in  his 
heart  and  soul,  in  life  and  beyond  death,  Nami 
would  forever  remain  his  wife. 

Such  were  the  thoughts  that  occupied  Takeo 
one  calm  autumn  morning. 

The  physician  came  at  the  accustomed  hour 
and  smiled  with  satisfaction.  In  a  few  days  the 
wound  would  be  healed  completely. 

Later  a  letter  from  his  mother  was  brought 
to  him,  in  which  she  expressed  her  joy  at 
Tazaki's  news  of  her  son's  improvement,  her 
hope  for  his  return  as  soon  as  the  doctor  would 
permit  the  journey.  She  had  something  very 
important  to  tell  him! 

[298] 


RECOVERY 

Important  news?  Most  certainly  it  con- 
cerned the  matter  that  Takeo  suspected  and 
feared  greatly.  After  a  few  moments  of  reflec- 
tion Takeo  decided  not  to  go  to  Tokyo. 

In  the  first  days  of  November,  Takeo  learned 
that  his  vessel,  the  Matsushima,  which  had  been 
badly  damaged  in  the  battle,  had  been  repaired 
and  had  taken  to  sea  en  route  for  the  theatre 
of  war.  Takeo  left  the  hospital,  embarked  upon 
a  merchant  vessel  bound  for  Dalny  and  went  to 
join  his  squadron,  which  had  anchored  in  that 
same  bay. 

The  day  before  he  left  Saseho  he  mailed  two 
letters.  One  of  these  was  addressed  to  his 
mother.  . 


[299] 


CHAPTER  IV 
Temptation 

AUTUMN  winds  were  beginning  to  blow. 
The  renowned  summer  resort  was  slowly 
losing  its  visitors.  Today,  the  first  of 
November,  was  unseasonably  gentle.  A  young 
lady  accompanied  by  a  woman  of  about  fifty, 
was  walking  along  the  beach  at  Zushi  enjoying 
the  calm  peace  of  a  splendid  autumn  day. 

The  fishermen  and  the  few  invalids  who  were 
still  upon  the  seashore  recognized  the  slender, 
graceful  woman.  As  she  passed  by  them  they 
greeted  her  with  compassionate  cordiality,  for 
all  of  them  knew,  in  part,  her  sad  story. 

The  young  lady  was  Nami. 

Life  no  longer  held  out  any  hope  for  her, — 
her  health  diminished  day  by  day  as  autumn 
advanced.  She  no  longer  cared  to  live. 

Nami  had  returned  to  Tokyo  with  her  aunt 
in  the  month  of  June.  From  the  day  upon 
which  the  whole  sad  truth  had  been  revealed  to 
her,  she  began  to  grow  worse  and  her  hemor- 

[300] 


TEMPTATION 

rhages  came  more  frequently.  The  physician 
saw  that  his  efforts  to  combat  the  disease  were 
futile.  The  family  began  to  feel  the  keenest 
anxiety  and  Nami  herself  now  awaited  death 
with  resignation.  Death,  indeed,  presented 
itself  as  the  easiest  way  out  of  a  cruel  plight, 
and  while  her  sick  body  lay  upon  the  pillows, 
her  spirit,  already  freed  of  its  earthly  dress, 
wandered  in  an  ideal  world.  Her  soul  longed 
to  take  flight  across  the  immense  spaces  and 
reach  at  last  the  place  where  she  might  shed  her 
tears  in  the  bosom  of  her  adored  mother. 

But  death  delayed.  .  .  .  Every  day  she  hoped 
would  be  the  last,  but  instead,  day  followed 
day,  each  one  as  sad  as  the  other.  She  could 
no  longer  understand  how  life  could  hold  hidden 
beauties  for  others,  and  how  death  could  appear 
horrible  and  terrifying  to  so  many  human  be- 
ings. Why  should  anybody  take  the  trouble 
to  follow  the  doctor's  prescriptions,  and  give 
her  the  medicine  that  enabled  her  to  prolong  so 
useless  and  painful  an  existence  ? 

A  single  star  shone  through  the  dense  dark- 
ness: her  love  for  her  father.  He  visited  her 
often,  gave  her  the  medicine  with  most  affec- 
tionate care,  and  beautified  the  house  in  which 
his  sick  little  daughter  was  to  be  brought  back 

[301] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

to  health.  He  made  every  effort  to  combat  the 
insidious  illness.  When  she  would  hear  his 
footsteps,  and  see  his  face  light  up  with  a  smile 
as  he  noticed  a  deceptive  improvement  in  her 
condition,  she  could  not  hold  back  her  tears. 
Oh!  When  her  thoughts  reverted  to  her  good 
father,  whom  she  loved  so  much  and  who  suf- 
fered so  much,  she  no  longer  dared  to  invoke 
death.  If  death  would  not  come  to  her,  would 
spare  her,  she  would  find  the  will  to  live  just 
for  love  of  him. 

Still  another  force  dwelt  secretly  in  her  heart : 
her  faith  in  her  husband's  love, — a  faith  that 
had  not  been  shaken  by  past  events.  But  cer- 
tainly the  future  was  dark  and  hopeless. 

She  could  not  deceive  herself  with  the  thought 
that  the  severed  knot  would  be  tied  again,  even 
if  her  health  were  to  be  regained.  But  she  lived 
in  the  certainty  that  nothing  could  break  the 
sweet  ties  of  their  souls,  their  communion  of 
feelings  and  ideas,  the  immense  love  that  still 
united  them.  That  would  never  die. 

Thus  it  was  that  in  her  affection  for  her 
father,  in  her  faith  in  Takeo,  she  found  the 
strength  to  live  and  to  aid  courageously  the 
efforts  of  her  doctor.  In  the  month  of  Septem- 
ber she  was  able  to  return  to  the  lonesome  villa 

[302] 


TEMPTATION 

at  Zushi  with  her  faithful  Iku.  There  Nami's 
spirit  seemed  to  become  more  serene,  for  the 
beauty  of  the  surroundings  sweetened  her  char- 
acter even  more.  When,  after  her  bath,  she 
would  stop  on  the  beach,  seated  in  a  comfort- 
able chair,  listening  to  the  splashing  of  the 
waves  upon  the  shore  and  the  chirping  of  the 
birds  in  the  nearby  wood,  it  seemed  to  her  that 
she  was  still  in  the  sweet  season  of  the  past 
spring.  And  it  seemed,  too,  that  her  husband 
ought  to  be  coming  at  any  moment.  .  .  . 

Life  at  the  Zushi  villa  passed  by  quietly  and 
without  novelty. . . .  Nami  's  only  diversion  was 
to  compose  verses  and  arrange  flowers.  .  .  . 
Once  or  twice  during  the  week  the  doctor  came 
from  Tokyo.  From  time  to  time  she  saw  her 
aunt  and  her  cousin,  and  even  her  step-mother. 
Several  of  her  former  schoolmates  had  written 
to  her,  expressing  sorrow  at  her  illness.  But 
all  of  this  failed  to  comfort  Nami.  .  .  .  She 
awaited  only  Chizu's  visits  with  impatience. 
Her  little  cousin  knew  better  than  any  other 
how  to  guess  her  desires  and  satisfy  them. 

Barely  she  thought  of  the  Kawashima  house- 
hold, and  when,  in  her  recollections,  there  arose 
the  thought  of  her  former  mother-in-law,  a  feel- 
ing of  hostility,  and  even  of  fear,  possessed  her. 

[303] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

When  she  learned  that  Yamaki's  daughter  had 
been  sent  to  the  widow  Kawashima,  the  news 
displeased  her  greatly,  but  after  a  moment  she 
had  understood  that  this  had  not  depended 
upon  Takeo,  in  whom  she  preserved  the  most 
absolute  faith. 

She  would  walk  along  the  beach,  and  her  gaze 
would  often  turn  to  the  west;  she  would  seek 
the  farthest  point  on  the  horizon,  where  the  sky 
merged  with  the  sea.  The  two  beings  that  she 
loved  most  on  earth  were  far,  far  away,  in  the 
war;  for  her  father,  too,  a  few  days  after  his 
daughter 's  departure  for  Zushi,  had  been  called 
to  his  post. 

Although  she  felt  that  she  was  now  separated 
from  the  whole  world,  still  her  heart  anxiously 
followed  the  fortunes  of  the  war;  she  read  the 
papers  closely,  rejoicing  in  the  victories  of  the 
Japanese  army  and  of  the  naval  forces  to  which 
Takeo  belonged.  In  the  latter  half  of  Septem- 
ber she  had  learned  the  news  of  the  battle  of 
the  Yalu,  and  a  few  days  later  she  read  the 
name  of  Takeo  in  the  list  of  the  wounded.  Dur- 
ing the  nights  that  followed  she  could  not  sleep. 
Her  aunt  at  Tokyo  tried  to  get  more  detailed 
information  and  learned  that  Takeo 's  wounds 
were  not  dangerous,  and  that  he  was  then  at 

[304] 


TEMPTATION 

the  Saseho  hospital.  Nami's  thoughts  could 
not  leave  the  bed  on  which  her  beloved  lay,  and 
often  she  imagined  herself  falling  upon  her 
knees  before  his  bedside,  swearing  never  to 
leave  him  again. 

With  what  deep  grief  she  felt,  every  time  she 
sank  into  such  a  revery,  that  her  dream  was 
impossible  of  realization,  and  that  the  reality 
was  so  different !  .  .  .  .  She  could  not  send  him 
even  a  token  of  affectionate  recollection.  .  .  . 
Only  their  hearts  remained  united.  .  .  .  The 
hearts  of  two  creatures  who  once  upon  a  time 
...  ah !  for  only  too  short  a  time  .  .  .  had  lived 
together, — a  loving,  happy  pair! 

And  today  she  could  not  even  send  him  a  line ! 
This  thought  was  unbearable  to  the  poor  girl. 

The  very  intensity  of  her  desire,  however, 
suggested  her  the  solution  to  this  problem. 
With  the  help  of  Iku  she  prepared  Takeo's 
clothes  and  sent  them  off  to  Saseho,  together 
with  Takeo's  favorite  fruits,  under  cover  of  an 
imaginary  name.  .  .  . 

The  days  dragged  slowly  by.  .  . .  Toward  the 
middle  of  November,  Nami  received  a  letter  that 
bore  the  postmark  of  Saseho.  Nami  read  the 
letter  and  wept.  .  .  . 

***** 
[305] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

One  Monday,  Chizu  and  Koma,  who  had  spent 
several  days  at  Zushi,  left  for  Tokyo.  The 
house,  which  had  resounded  with  their  peals 
of  shrieking  laughter,  seemed  sadder,  lonelier 
than  ever. 

During  these  sad  days  Nami  felt  that  she  was 
closer  to  her  mother.  ...  It  was  the  nineteenth 
of  November:  the  anniversary  of  her  death. 
Nami  looked  for  a  long  time  at  her  picture  and 
hung  it  on  the  wall  of  the  alcove  in  a  silver 
frame  which  she  decorated  with  white  chrysan- 
themums in  full  bloom.  Chizu  had  brought  them 
from  Tokyo. 

Ten  years  had  gone  by  since  Nami  had  seen 
her  mother  for  the  last  time.  During  this  period 
she  had  never  forgotten  her  duty  of  love  and 
gratitude  toward  the  dear  departed.  Never 
had  her  heart  been  moved  as  now  at  the  recol- 
lection of  the  sweet  face.  Ah!  If  only  her 
kind,  adored  mother  could  have  come  to  the 
unhappy  daughter !  Nami  would  have  told  her 
all  her  griefs,  and  she,  so  compassionate,  would 
have  borne  part  of  the  heavy  burden,  under 
which  Nami's  shoulders  bent  with  fatigue.  Ah ! 
Why  had  she  fled,  leaving  her  little  child  alone 
in  the  world?  While  Nami's  mind  was  lost  in 

[306] 


TEMPTATION 

these  thoughts,  hot  tears  ran  slowly  down  her 
faded  cheeks. 

To  the  poor  girl  came,  too,  remembrance  of 
happy  days  in  the  distant  past  when  her  mother 
was  still  living.  She  was  eight  years  old,  Koma 
was  five ;  both  were  wearing  a  gown  of  similar 
fashion,  rose-colored  and  embroidered  with 
cherry  blossoms.  .  .  .  They  were  in  a  carriage, 
with  their  mother  between  them,  coming  from 
the  well-known  photographer  Suzuki  at  Kudan. 
The  picture  that  she  was  now  looking  at  had 
been  cut  out  of  that  group  taken  at  that  time. 

Ten  years  had  gone  by.  .  .  .  Her  mother  had 
remained  in  her  mind  unchanged,  just  as  on 
the  photograph.  And  the  daughter?  .... 

She  fled  from  thought  of  herself,  but  in  that 
sad  hour  she  could  not  control  her  thoughts. 
She  felt  only  too  keenly  that  her  hopeless 
existence  dwelt  wrapped  in  dense  mists  and 
stormy  clouds.  The  room  in  which  her  gaze 
wandered  became  transformed  into  a  prison- 
cell,  into  which  no  ray  of  sunlight  could 
penetrate. 

The  clock  struck  two.  Nami  shook  herself 
free  of  her  day-dreaming  and  ran  into  the  next 
room,  as  if  in  flight  from  something.  That 
room,  too,  was  deserted,  but  the  voices  of  Iku 

[307] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

and  the  nurse  could  be  heard  from  the  next  com- 
partment. Nami  stopped  for  a  moment,  unde- 
cided, then  went  out  resolutely,  crossing  the 
garden  and  making  for  the  beach. 

The  sky  was  dark,  and  thick  clouds  weighed 
over  earth  and  sea;  not  a  breath  of  air  moved 
the  dead  leaves  upon  the  branches.  The  surface 
of  the  sea,  with  its  waves  rolling  in  long  shud- 
ders, was  unfurrowed  by  a  vessel  of  any  sort. 

Nami  walked  onward.  No  fisherman  was  to 
be  met  on  the  shore ;  no  one 's  gaze  followed  the 
unhappy  woman.  A  few  paces  ahead  a  girl  was 
carrying  a  baby  upon  her  back,  and  sang  hap- 
pily as  she  gathered  shells. 

As  Nami  went  by  her  the  girl  smiled  kindly. 
Nami  returned  her  greeting  and  forced  herself 
to  smile  in  return. 

Then  she  sank  again  into  her  sad  reveries. 
All  at  once  she  stopped.  She  had  come  to  a 
spot  where  the  sand  of  the  beach  gave  way  to 
a  small  path  across  the  rocks  which  led  to  the 
temple  of  Fudo, — the  path  that  she  had  taken 
the  previous  spring,  leaning  upon  Takeo's 
arms. 

Nami  commenced  to  ascend  slowly. 

Having  passed  the  temple  of  Fudo  she  sat 
down  upon  a  block  of  marble, — the  very  same 

[308] 


TEMPTATION 

upon  which  she  had  once  rested  with  her  head 
against  Takeo  's  shoulders. . . .  But  at  that  time 
the  sky  had  been  serene  and  resplendent,  and 
had  been  mirrored  in  a  sea  as  smooth  as  glass. 
Now,  instead,  heavy,  menacing  clouds  draped 
the  distant  blue.  The  waves  dashed  against 
the  cliffs,  breaking  into  showers  of  white  spray. 
Not  a  sail  was  to  be  seen  upon  the  troubled, 
trembling  sea.  Nami  took  from  her  bosom  the 
letter  that  contained  but  two  lines, — two  soli- 
tary lines  that  moved  her  heart  more  than  pages 
of  fond  words. 

"Not  a  day  goes  by  without  my  thinking  of 
my  sweet  little  Nami-san. " 

Every  time  she  read  it  her  sad  heart  beat 
wildly,  wildly,  as  if  it  were  ready  to  break. 

4 'Ah!  Why  has  the  world  treated  me  so 
cruelly?"  she  asked  herself.  "I  love  him  so 
much  that  my  heart  is  oppressed  to  the  point 
of  death.  .  .  .  And  he  loves  me,  too.  .  .  .  Then 
why  has  our  love  knot  been  severed?  Who 
could  have  done  it?  Isn't  this  letter  written  in 
his  very  heart's  blood?  Here,  among  these 
rocks,  on  a  beautiful  Spring  day  we  swore  eter- 
nal faith  to  each  other, — eternal  love.  .  .  .  The 
sea  knows  it  ....  the  cliffs  were  witnesses.  .  .  . 
Why  is  the  world  so  cruel  as  to  annihilate  us, 

[309] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

smothering  us  under  the  weight  of  a  horrible 
yoke?  Oh,  delight  of  my  soul  .  .  .  here  in 
Spring  ....  among  these  rocks.  ..."  She 
opened  her  eyes  ....  she  was  all  alone.  The 
sea  seemed  to  have  calmed  down  a  little.  .  .  . 
Only  the  noise  of  the  nearby  waterfall  came  to 
her  ears.  Nami  hid  her  face  in  her  hands  and 
wept. 

Large,  hot  tears  trickled  along  her  small 
fingers.  Her  head  bent  over,  wearily.  ...  It 
seemed  that  her  heart  was  benumbed.  Thoughts 
came  to  her  mind  now  as  fleet  as  arrows.  She 
recalled  the  days  she  had  spent  with  Takeo  .... 
those  lived  at  Ikao,  the  day  on  which  she  be- 
came his  wife.  She  recollected  the  day  on 
which  she  had  returned  to  Tokyo  with  her  aunt, 
the  day  on  which  her  mother  had  died.  She 
saw  the  dear  face  once  again  ....  then  the  face 
of  her  father,  of  her  step-mother,  of  Koma,  of 
the  little  ones.  .  .  .  Other  faces,  too,  appeared 
and  were  confused  in  her  mind  ....  faces  of 
friends,  of  acquaintances.  .  .  .  Her  thoughts 
turned  to  a  friend  that  Chizu  had  recalled  to 
her  the  day  before.  She  was  two  years  older 
than  Nami  and  had  married  a  young  count,  one 
year  before  Nami's  wedding.  Her  mother-in- 
law  was  very  fond  of  her,  but  very  soon  the 

[310] 


TEMPTATION 

husband  began  to  neglect  her.  A  boy  had  been 
born  to  them,  but  the  past  Spring  the  couple 
had  been  divorced  and  the  young  wife  had  died 
shortly  after.  She  had  died  because  of  her 
husband's  desertion.  But  Nairn* 's  life  was  even 
sadder  than  that  of  the  young  wife  who  had 
died.  Her  tears  flowed  incessantly  for  a  love 
that  should  never  have  been  born  and  that  could 
not  die.  They  had  been  separated  despite  their 
great  love.  The  destinies  of  persons  are  dif- 
ferent, but  life  has  sorrows  and  tears  for  all. 
Nami  sighed,  prostrated  by  a  fit  of  deep  dejec- 
tion. .  .  .  Her  gaze  now  wandered  as  if  lost 
upon  the  troubled  sea. 

Her  thoughts  became  as  sinister  as  the  clouds 
above  her:  there  was  no  longer  any  place  for 
her  upon  earth.  Born  into  a  rich  family,  at 
eight  years  of  age  she  had  been  bereft  of  her 
mother ;  ten  years  she  had  dwelt  with  her  step- 
mother, and  scarcely  had  her  heart  brightened 
with  the  illusion  of  having  found  a  little  happi- 
ness, when  the  saddest  part  of  her  lot  began. 
And  the  terrible  sentence  of  separation  had 
fallen,  to  condemn  all  her  remaining  life  to  con- 
tinuous grief  ....  a  sentence  worse  than  death. 
And  if  her  beloved  lived,  she  could  never  again 
call  him  husband  ....  she  could  never  again 

[311] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

be  his  companion  in  his  hour  of  trial.  Ah! 
Why  had  she  come  upon  earth  to  serve  as  a 
target  for  the  cruelty  of  fate?  Why  had  she 
not  left  this  earth  with  her  adored  parent? 
And  why  had  she  not  died  in  her  mother 's  arms, 
the  first  time  they  trembling  embraced  her  tiny 
body?  And  why  did  she  not  die  now,  since  her 
sad  lot  had  been  fulfilled?  What  value  could 
life  hold  for  an  existence  condemned  to  in- 
curable illness,  longing  for  impossible  love? 
But  even  if  her  bodily  disease  could  be  cured, 
her  heart  could  never  endure  it  if  her  husband 
were  not  returned  to  her.  .  .  .  Ah!  To  die! 
To  die !  Death !  Death !  The  only  hope ! 

Without  drying  the  tears  that  fell  without 
interruption,  Nami  looked  far  over  the  sea. 

In  the  direction  of  Oshima  there  suddenly 
arose  some  blackish  clouds.  The  thunder  rum- 
bled, while  the  waves  of  the  sea  rose  in  fury. 
The  tempest  was  about  to  break  forth.  A  gust 
of  wind  sped  past,  and  a  mountain  of  foaming 
waves  overwhelmed  the  earth,  breaking  against 
the  cliffs  at  Nami's  feet.  The  entire  surface 
of  the  sea  heaved  as  if  in  agitation,  the  waves 
rolled  on,  merging  into  still  larger  ones,  hurtling 
like  wild,  indomitable  steeds;  cold  sprays 
showered  down  upon  the  high  spot  where 

[312] 


TEMPTATION 

Nami,  as  if  in  oblivion,  followed  with  her  gaze 
the  furies  of  the  elements.  .  .  .  "The  sea  .... 
the  sea,  at  the  bottom  of  which  is  death !  How 
far  more  beautiful  must  it  be  than  life!  How 
more  beautiful  to  live  at  my  husband's  side  in 
the  form  of  an  incorporeal  shade  than  to  drag 
out  this  life,  joyless  and  hopeless!  He  is  far 
away  ....  on  the  Yellow  Sea  ....  but  however 
distant  he  may  be,  these  waves  can  reach  to  him. 
Oh !  That  I  might  dissolve  into  foaming  spray 
so  that  my  soul  could  flow  to  his !" 

Nami  replaced  the  letter  in  one  of  the  folds 
of  her  girdle ;  she  paid  no  attention  to  her  hair, 
which  had  been  loosened  by  the  wind.  She 
arose.  Her  slender  body  was  shaken  by  the 
fury  of  the  storm,  her  limbs  were  penetrated 
by  an  uninterrupted  shudder.  Above,  the 
clouds  sped  along,  rapidly  changing  shape,  but 
black  and  threatening  as  ever.  .  .  .  Below,  the 
waves  boomed  and  leaped  in  a  wild  dance.  The 
solitary  pines  bent  and  swayed  fearfully.  The 
tempest  increased,  the  sea  trembled,  all  earth 
was  a  cry  of  woe,  and  the  deep  rumbling  of  the 
thunder  drowned  the  thousand  voices  of  land 
and  sea. 

"Now  is  the  time!  Now!  Help  me,  mother. 
.  .  .  Call  me.  .  .  Receive  me.  .  .  And  you,  father, 

[313] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

forgive  your  daughter.  My  short  life  will  soon 
pass  away  like  a  dream!" 

Nami  arranged  her  clothes,  removed  her 
sandals,  advanced  to  the  furthest  edge  of  the 
cliff  ....  bent  over  toward  the  moaning  waves. 

In  the  moment  just  before  the  terrible  leap  a 
cry  was  heard  behind  her.  .  .  .  Two  arms  seized 
the  body  as  it  swayed  over  the  abyss.  .  .  . 


I.  314  J 


CHAPTER  V 

The  Story  Told  by  the  "Yaso" 

*'  TKU,  prepare  the  tea.  She  will  soon  be 
here,"  said  Nami  to  her  old  servant, 
who  was  putting  the  room  in  order. 

* '  She 's  a  very  kind  woman, ' '  commented  Iku, 
"and  I'm  really  surprised  that  she's  only  a 
yaso,1  a  Christian." 

"Yes.    That's  what  I've  been  told." 

"I'd  never  have  dreamt  that  such  a  distin- 
guished looking  woman  could  belong  to  the 
Kiristans.2  She  wears  her  hair  short." 

"Well,  what  of  that?" 

"The  women  who  believe  in  Yaso,  don't  cut 
their  hair  when  they  are  left  widows.  No.  They 
begin  to  dress  with  a  great  deal  more  care  and 
look  around  for  a  second  husband.  ..." 

" Where Ve  you  learned  all  this?" 

"  Oh !  I  know  that  positively, ' '  declared  Iku. 
"I  assure  you  that  many  girls  are  now  in- 
structed in  the  Christian  religion.  I  knew  one 

1  i.  e.  Jesus.     The  word   'Yaso'  denotes  Christianity  or  its  adherents. 
It  is  a  term  of  scorn. 

1  i.  e.  Christians. 

[315] 


THE    HEART    OF    NAMI-SAN 

who  lived  near  certain  relatives  of  mine.  She 
was  a  dear  little  thing,  but  after  she  got  into  the 
habit  of  going  to  the  missionary  schools  she 
changed  character  completely.  Just  imagine, — 
every  Sunday,  no  matter  how  much  her  mother 
needed  her  help,  she  would  leave  her  to  go  to 
church  and  nothing  could  hold  her  back.  More- 
over, she  even  said  that  she  no  longer  cared  to 
stay  in  the  house  because  it  wasn't  so  clean  as 
school.  Yet  despite  her  long  attendance  at  the 
school  she  never  learned  a  single  recipe  nor 
how  to  do  the  simplest  needlework.  .  .  .  Her 
parents  began  to  fear  for  her  future.  She  was 
proud  and  said  she  wouldn't  marry  a  man  who 
made  less  than  250  yen  per  month.  Isn't  that 
extraordinary?  At  first  she  was  a  model  child 
and  then  she  changed  completely.  Maybe  there 
was  some  witchcraft  about  it?  ....  They  say 
that  happens  very  often  among  the  followers  of 
that  religion." 

Nami  smiled  and  replied,  "It  sounds  very 
serious.  But  every  question  has  two  sides  and 
one  ought  to  hear  both  sides  before  judging. 
Don't  you  think  so,  Iku?" 

The  old  woman  shook  her  head  doubtfully. 
Then  she  looked  gravely  at  her  mistress.  "I 

[316] 


THE  STORY  TOLD  BY  THE  "YASO" 

believe  it  would  be  for  the  best  to  keep  away 
from  that  Yaso,"  she  suggested. 

Nami  smiled  again. 

* '  Do  you  mean  that  I  oughtn  't  to  talk  to  that 
woman  at  all?" 

1  'Well, — if  all  the  Christians  were  like  her 
it  wouldn  't  be  so  bad.  ..." 

Iku  broke  off  her  speech;  a  shadow  was 
noticed  upon  the  screen,  while  footsteps  came 
nearer. 

"  Pardon  me  if  I  have  come  by  the  garden 
gate,"  a  melodious  voice  was  heard  to  say. 

Iku  ran  to  the  door,  which  she  opened,  and 
bowed  before  a  little  woman  of  about  fifty, 
dressed  in  black,  with  her  gray  hair  cut  rather 
short.  Because  of  this  the  woman  appeared 
thinner  still,  but  her  eyes  shone  with  the  light 
of  kindness  and  her  lips  curled  in  a  smile. 

It  was  the  Christian  woman  of  whom  Nami 
and  Iku  had  been  speaking, — the  woman  who,  a 
week  before,  had  seized  Nami  from  the  jaws  of 
the  precipice. 

iShe  made  no  effort  to  attract  attention  to 
herself,  but  whoever  was  with  her  for  even  the 
shortest  space  of  time  felt  that  he  was  before 
a  person  worthy  of  great  consideration.  Her 
name  was  Kiyo  Ogawa,  and  she  lived  in  Meguro, 

[317] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

where  she  directed  an  orphanage.  She  gave 
herself  up  most  enthusiastically  to  the  care  of 
the  abandoned  little  creatures.  Since  the  be- 
ginning of  the  month  she  had  been  at  Zushi  to 
gain  back  her  strength  after  an  attack  of 
pleurisy,  and  by  mere  accident  she  had  come 
just  in  time  to  save  Nami. 

Iku  brought  tea  and  was  about  to  leave  the 
room  when  she  heard  Nami  say,  "So  you  are 
leaving  tomorrow?  Isn't  that  too  bad!  Why, 
we  scarcely  know  you!" 

The  old  woman  looked  at  Nami  with  a  glance 
of  sweet  affection,  and  replied,  "I  should  like 
very  much  to  remain  here  for  some  time,  and 
have  other  opportunities  to  speak  with  you.  I 
should  like  particularly  to  stay  until  you  were 
cured." 

From  her  bag  she  took  a  little  book. 

"This  is  the  Bible.  ...  I  dare  say  that  you 
never  saw  one  till  now. ' ' 

Nami,  indeed,  did  not  know  the  Bible.  Her 
step-mother,  during  her  stay  in  England,  had 
so  to  speak  become  a  Christian,  but  upon  her 
return  to  Japan  she  had  abandoned  all  Chris- 
tian practices,  and  had  left  her  Bible,  together 
with  her  old  shoes  and  papers,  in  her  hotel  at 
London. 

[318] 


THE    STORY   TOLD   BY   THE   "YASO" 

"I  have  never  read  it,"  replied  Nami-san. 

Iku  could  no  longer  stay  away.  She  looked 
at  the  book  with  eyes  that  expressed  mingled 
stupefaction  and  terror;  doubtless  she  was 
sure  that  it  possessed  certain  evil  powers. 

''When  you  read  it,"  continued  the  woman, 
"your  heart  will  open  to  a  sweet,  new  influence. 
I  am  sure  it  will  do  you  much  good.  If  I  could 
only  stay  here  a  little  while  longer,  I  would 
gladly  explain  a  great  many  things  in  it.  But 
since  this  is  my  last  day  here,  I  will  tell  you, 
instead,  how  I  came  to  read  it  for  the  first  time. 
....  Aren  't  you  tired  f  Lie  down  at  your  ease 
if  that's  more  comfortable  for  you." 

"No,  thanks.  I'm  not  tired. .  .  .  Tell  me  your 
story,  please." 

Iku  refilled  the  tea  cups  and  left  the  room. 

The  old  woman  looked  for  a  moment  into 
space,  then  sank  to  her  knees  beside  Nami,  and 
with  her  eyes  fixed  upon  those  of  her  listener, 
she  began. 

"Life  is  short,  but  if  you  only  imagine  how 
many  events  it  can  contain,  it  seems  much 
longer.  My  father  was  a  hatamoto3  under  the 
old  regime  and  possessed  a  large  fortune.  Per- 

8  Samurai.      At   the   time   here   mentioned,    the    'hatamoto'    was   a   di- 
rect vassal   of  the   Shagun. 

[319] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

haps  you  will  recall  that  estate  with  the  elm 
plantation,  near  the  Suido  bridge  at  Koishi- 
kawa.  Naturally,  the  property  changed  hands 
many  years  ago.  Well,  I  was  born  in  that 
house.  When  I  was  twelve  years  old  my  mother 
died,  and  my  father  was  so  stricken  with  the 
loss  that  he  would  not  take  another  wife. 
Despite  my  youthful  years,  I  had  to  assume  the 
direction  of  the  household  until  my  brother 
married;  several  years  later  I,  too,  married, 
and  left  the  paternal  roof.  Ogawa,  my  hus- 
band, was  also  a  hatamoto,  but  higher  in  rank 
than  I.  ...  I  was  twenty-one  years  old  at  that 
time.  .  .  .  You  weren't  born  yet. 

"I  had  been  brought  up  in  the  usual  beliefs 
taught  to  our  young  girls,  and  I  imagined  that 
I  should  certainly  be  inferior  to  none  in  the 
matter  of  self-sacrifice.  .  .  .  But  when  I  learned 
to  know  real  life,  I  realized  how  difficult  it  is 
to  put  into  practice  the  easy  theory  of  virtue. 
We  were  at  the  troublous  period  preceding  the 
War  of  1868,  and  my  husband  was  rarely  at 
home.  I  lived  with  my  parents-in-law,  and  with 
two  sisters-in-law  ....  in  other  words,  I  had 
to  obey  and  serve  five  people  older  than  I.  I 
can't  tell  you  what  a  torment  that  was  to  me. 
My  father-in-law,  poor  fellow,  wasn't  so  bad, 

[320] 


THE   STORY   TOLD   BY   THE   "YASO" 

but  how  hard  it  was,  even  for  him,  to  satisfy 
my  mother-in-law!  My  husband  had  already 
been  married,  but  his  wife  had  been  sent  back 
to  her  parents  shortly  after  the  wedding.  I 
don't  like  to  speak  ill  of  those  who  are  dead, 
but  my  late  mother-in-law  was  a  violent,  domi- 
neering person,  and  many  is  the  secret  tear  I 
shed  because  of  her.  My  sincerest  efforts  to 
please  her  were  useless.  But  it  was  still  worse 
when  she  discovered  traces  of  my  hidden 
tears.  .  .  .  She  would  become  furious  and  re- 
buke me  harshly. 

"Not  long  before  the  outbreak  of  the  civil 
war  that  was  to  put  the  Emperor  back  on  the 
throne,  a  revolt  broke  out  in  the  city  of  Yedo.* 
My  husband,  my  father  and  my  brother,  who 
were  all  on  the  side  of  the  old  order,  served 
as  volunteers  in  Ueno.  My  father-in-law  was 
severely  wounded  and  I  was  about  to  give  birth 
to  a  child.  I  didn't  know  what  was  to  become 
of  me  under  such  circumstances.  At  last  Ueno 
was  taken;  my  husband  fled  toward  the  North, 
taking  refuge  in  Hakodate;  my  father  dis- 
appeared; my  brother  was  killed  and  I  lost 
track  of  his  family  altogether.  In  the  mean- 
time my  father-in-law  died  and  a  son  was  born 

*  In  1868  this  name  was  changed  to  Tokyo. 

[321] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

to  me.  All  this  happened  in  the  course  of  a 
few  months.  I  was  prostrated  by  anxiety,  ill- 
ness and  grief.  After  the  expulsion  of  the 
Shoguns  our  pensions  ceased,  our  property  was 
confiscated  and  I  went  on  a  journey  with  my 
mother-in-law,  the  child  and  an  old  servant, 
across  the  Hakone  mountains  to  Shinzuoka, 
where  we  awaited  the  end  of  the  troubles.  What 
a  horrible  nightmare!" 

The  woman  paused  in  her  narrative.  .  .  .  The 
nurse  entered  the  room,  gave  Nami  her  medi- 
cine, bowed  respectfully,  and  left.  The  old 
woman  closed  her  eyes  for  a  moment,  then 
looked  at  Nami  and  resumed  her  tale. 

"The  wretched  plight  of  the  faithful  fol- 
lowers of  Tokugava  who  had  taken  refuge  in 
Shinzuoka  is  almost  beyond  description.  The 
patrimonies  and  the  incomes  had  been  so 
greatly  reduced  that  even  Count  Katsu  was 
forced  to  lead  a  retired  life.  We  were  in  the 
utmost  want.  My  mother-in-law  had  been  used 
to  luxury  and  pomp,  and  I  was  not  a  little 
troubled  on  her  account.  I  did  my  best  to  help 
the  family.  I  gave  lessons  in  writing  and  sew- 
ing to  young  girls,  I  made  clothes  for  strangers. 
I  was  now  beneath  humiliation.  But  my  mother- 
in-law  became  angrier  and  more  severe  than 

[322] 


ever;  my  husband  was  in  prison;  my  father's 
place  of  hiding  was  still  a  mystery.  Our 
existence  was  so  wretched  that  I  would  have 
preferred  death,  had  not  my  child  restrained 
me.  The  grief  and  the  poverty  of  those  few 
months  affected  me  so  deeply  that  I  grew  ten 
years  older  in  that  time.  After  a  while  my  hus- 
band was  freed  and  readmitted  into  the  army. 
Then  we  crossed  the  Hakone  mountains  again, 
returning  to  Tokyo. 

"It  was  the  Spring  of  1871.  There  then 
began  for  me  a  quiet  life  that  would  have  been 
beautiful  but  for  the  malicious  character  of  my 
mother-in-law  and  my  anxiety  as  to  the  where- 
abouts of  my  father,  from  whom  I  hadn't  re- 
ceived a  word. 

"That  autumn  my  husband  took  a  trip  to 
Europe.  One  day,  after  having  been  on  a  visit 
to  some  friends  in  Koishikawa,  I  was  return- 
ing towards  evening  in  a  J:  urn  ma  that  they  had 
kindly  procured  for  me.  It  was  dark  ....  the 
clouds  in  the  sky  seemed  to  threaten  a  tempest. 
I  was  sitting  in  the  kuruma,  tired  and  thought- 
ful, as  it  dragged  slowly  along.  Idly  I  glanced 
at  the  man  who  was  pulling  it,  and  at  his  large 
straw  hat  ....  at  his  wretched  clothes  of  oiled 
paper  over  which  the  rain  drops  trickled.  The 

[323] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

pale  light  of  the  lantern  that  he  carried  in  his 

hand  cast  sufficient  light  before  him I  heard 

the  contact  of  his  naked  feet  with  the  mire 
of  the  road, — a  sound  that  was  from  time 
to  time  accompanied  by  an  ill-repressed  groan. 
Scarcely  had  we  passed  the  Suido  bridge  when 
his  lamp  went  out.  The  man  stopped,  asking 
permission  to  look  for  a  box  of  matches  in  the 
compartment  under  the  seat.  I  could  not  un- 
derstand his  words  very  well,  for  the  wind  was 
blowing  hard,  but  his  voice  sounded  strangely 
familiar. . . .  When  his  lantern  had  been  lighted 
again  I  saw  before  me  ....  my  father !" 

The  old  woman  involuntarily  raised  her 
hands  and  revealed  her  face.  Nami  burst  into 
tears. . . .  From  the  neighboring  room  came  the 
sound  of  a  sigh. 

The  Christian  woman  wiped  her  eyes  and 
continued. 

"I  accompanied  him  to  a  nearby  hostelry, 
and  he  told  me  his  tale.  After  the  capture  of 
Ueno  he  had  wandered  here  and  there,  earning 
his  living  in  various  ways.  Then  he  had  fallen 
ill  in  the  most  squalid  misery.  Now  he  was 
living  in  the  hut  of  a  poor  gardener  who  had 
in  former  days  served  in  our  own  home,  and 
making  a  few  wretched  yen  as  a  driver  of 

[324] 


THE   STORY   TOLD   BY   THE   "YASO" 

kurumas.  You  can  easily  imagine  how  I  felt 
on  hearing  this;  my  emotion,  my  joy,  my  sur- 
prise, my  sadness  so  overwhelmed  me  that  I 
could  scarcely  find  breath  for  a  word.  But  that 
evening  we  parted  rather  quickly,  for  my  father 
insisted  that  my  absence  would  cause  anxiety 
at  home. 

"When  I  returned,  my  mother-in-law,  who 
had  been  awaiting  me  impatiently,  attacked  me 
most  venomously,  and  even  dared  to  hint  at  a 
supposition  that  assailed  my  honor.  My  heart 
beat  wildly,  as  if  on  the  point  of  bursting.  So 
cruelly  did  she  upbraid  me  that  I  decided  then 
and  there  to  leave  the  house  and  join  my  father. 
I  waited  till  she  had  gone  to  bed  and  fallen  to 
sleep,  then  I  changed  my  clothes  and  sat  down 
beside  my  little  boy's  crib, — he  was  already  six 
years  old, — and  wrote  a  note  to  my  mother-in- 
law. 

"Suddenly  the  little  child  seemed  to  awake; 
he  stretched  his  tiny  hand  toward  me  and  cried, 
'Mamma,  don't  go  away!'  Of  course  he  was 
dreaming,  and  recalling  the  previous  day  on 
which  I  had  left  him  to  go  to  my  friends  in 
Koishikawa.  But  I  was  greatly  moved  and 
watched  my  boy's  face  attentively.  In  his  face 
I  saw  the  image  of  another's  ....  of  his  father. 

[325] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

....  The  pen  fell  from  my  grasp  and  I  com- 
menced to  weep.  I  don 't  know  how  it  happened, 
but  at  that  moment  I  recalled  an  old  story  about 
a  wife  and  her  mother-in-law  with  a  moral  of 
self-sacrifice.  My  mother  had  told  it  to  me  when 
I  was  a  child.  .  .  .  The  story  fitted  my  case  ex- 
actly. I  thought  that  everything  might  yet  turn 
out  all  right  if  I  were  patient  enough.  ...  So 
I  renounced  my  first  plan.  .  .  .  Am  I  tiring  you, 
perhaps  ? ' ' 

Nami,  who  was  listening  to  the  tale  with  her 
eyes  full  of  tears,  nodded  for  the  woman  to 
continue.  The  old  woman  brought  her  story 
to  its  conclusion. 

' '  Thus  I  was  unable  to  provide  for  my  father 
as  well  as  I  should  have  done.  I  secretly  sold 
my  personal  effects  and  sent  him  the  money 
I  received  for  them.  Of  course  that  couldn't 
amount  to  much.  Fortunately  at  that  time  I 
was  chosen  to  teach  Japanese  music  to  the  wife 
of  a  European  ambassador.  What  I  received 
for  the  lessons  went  to  help  my  father  in  his 
wretched  circumstances.  My  young  pupil  was 
very  kind  to  me  and  soon  we  became  friends. 
She  spoke  to  me  in  very  incorrect  Japanese, 
naturally.  .  .  .  One  day  she  presented  me  with 
a  book:  the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew. 

[326] 


THE    STORY   TOLD   BY   THE    "YASO" 

"You'll  find  it  at  the  beginning  of  that  little 
book :  it  had  just  been  translated  into  Japanese. 
I  tried  to  read  it,  but  I  found  the  story  so  novel 
and  so  strange  that  soon  I  laid  it  aside  as  some- 
thing that  could  not  be  understood,  and  I  gave 
no  further  thought  to  it. 

"At  the  beginning  of  the  next  year  my 
mother-in-law  was  stricken  with  paralysis,  and 
this  changed  her  character  entirely.  As  proud 
and  as  domineering  as  she  had  been  before, 
even  so  humble  and  submissive  did  she  become 
now, — just  like  a  child.  My  companionship  be- 
came so  precious  to  her  that  I  couldn't  leave 
her  for  the  shortest  time  without  being  called 
back.  And  when  I  watched  her  as  she  slept 
whenever  her  pains  ceased  long  enough  to  per- 
mit her  to  get  rest,  I  repented  ever  having  har- 
bored any  feelings  of  rancor  against  her.  I 
would  gladly  have  seen  her  strong  and  well 
once  more,  and  I  did  all  I  could  for  her,  with- 
out success. 

"Not  long  after  the  death  of  my  mother-in- 
law,  my  husband  returned.  My  father  then 
came  to  live  with  us,  but  soon  he,  too,  fell 
ill  and  died.  He  told  me  on  his  death-bed  that 
nobody  could  be  happier  than  he,  for  he  had 
found  his  long  lost  daughter  and  had  been  re- 

[327] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

ceived  into  the  new  family  with  kind  affection. 
More  keenly  than  ever  I  felt  regret  at  not 
having  been  able  to  do  for  him  more  than  the 
thousandth, part  of  what  I  should  have  desired. 

"Now  came  another  period  of  calm  and  peace. 
My  husband's  position  was  gradually  getting 
better,  and  my  son  was  growing  up  into  a  good, 
affectionate  child.  Despite  this,  my  troubles 
were  not  at  an  end.  For  my  husband  had  taken 
to  drink,  as  often  happens  amongst  officers. 
This  had  a  bad  effect  upon  his  character,  which 
was  otherwise  upright,  and  rendered  my  advice 
and  my  prayers  only  too  useless. 

' '  Then  came  1876,  and  my  husband,  who  was 
a  major,  was  sent  south.  During  his  absence 
my  child  fell  ill  with  scarlet  fever.  I  watched 
over  him  day  and  night.  .  .  . 

"It  was  the  evening  of  the  18th  of  April. 
My  son,  who  had  improved  somewhat,  was 
sleeping  peacefully.  I  had  sent  the  nurse  to 
sleep,  and  was  sitting  beside  my  sick  boy's  bed 
doing  some  embroidery.  Little  by  little  my 
thoughts  became  confused  and  I  sank  into  a 
light  slumber  that  was  soon  disturbed  by  the 
noise  of  footsteps  rapidly  approaching  my 
child's  bedside.  I  opened  my  eyes  and  beheld 
my  husband  in  uniform,  pale  as  death  and 

[328] 


THE    STOEY   TOLD   BY   THE   "YASO" 

stained  with  blood.  He  sat  down  at  the  bedside 
and  looked  at  me  fixedly.  ...  I  uttered  a  cry 
that  awoke  me.  ...  I  looked  around.  Nobody 
was  there.  The  lamp  was  about  to  go  out  and 
my  boy  was  still  asleep.  My  heart  beat  wildly. 
My  forehead  was  covered  with  cold  sweat. 

1  *  The  following  day  my  little  son  grew  worse 
all  of  a  sudden  and  died  the  next  night.  I  was 
desperate,  and  wailing  with  bitter  tears  grasped 
the  little  body  that  had  so  soon  been  taken  from 
me.  .  .  .  That  very  night  a  telegram  came  an- 
nouncing the  death  of  my  husband  in  battle." 

The  narrator  became  silent.  Nami  held  back 
her  breath.  .  .  .  For  several  moments  the  room 
was  enveloped  in  absolute  silence. 

Then  the  old  woman  resumed  her  story. 

"The  darkness  about  me  was  now  as  dense 
and  impenetrable  as  if  the  light  of  the  sun  and 
the  moon  had  gone  out  forever.  Ah!  If  the 
result  of  my  life  was  to  be  as  terrible  as  all  this, 
it  was  better  to  die.  ...  In  fact,  I  fell  seriously 
ill.  But, — fortunately  or  unfortunately? — I  got 
well.  The  world  in  which  fate  condemned  me 
to  live  was  henceforth  empty  for  me.  I  could 
no  longer  bear  to  live  in  my  old  home,  and  I 
decided  to  go  to  live  with  a  friend.  As  I  was 
gathering  my  things,  preparing  for  the  jour- 

[329] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

ney,  the  little  book  that  I  had  received  from  the 
European  lady  fell  into  my  hands.  I  opened 
it  mechanically,  without  the  slightest  intention 
of  reading  it.  But  when  I  closed  it,  I  put  a 
little  bookmark  between  the  pages,  and  so  later 
I  opened  it  several  times  again.  ...  At  first 
I  couldn't  understand  that  mysterious  language, 
but  one  day  a  ray  of  light  came  to  me  and  I 
understood.  My  foreign  friend  had  left  the 
country,  just  when  I  began  to  desire  the  com- 
pany of  some  one  who  could  enlighten  me  as  to 
the  contents  of  the  book. 

"  Several  months  later  I  was  offered  a  place 
as  assistant  in  a  girls'  educational  establish- 
ment. It  was  a  Christian  institution.  I  became 
acquainted  with  a  Christian  family  and  every 
obscure  passage  in  the  book  was  explained  to 
me.  For  sixteen  years  I  have  been  living  in 
the  new  faith,  and  but  few  days  have  passed 
without  my  opening  the  Bible.  It  is  my  strength 
and  my  consolation.  At  first  I  believed  that 
everything  ended  with  death.  Now  I  am  com- 
forted by  the  certain  hope  of  immortality.  My 
father  has  returned  to  the  Eternal  Father.  My 
son  will  be  given  back  to  me  some  day ;  all  my 
griefs  are  consoled  by  this  religion,  which  is 
full  of  hope. 

[330  ] 


THE    STORY   TOLD   BY   THE   "YASO" 

"This,  in  brief,  is  how  I  was  brought  to  the 
reading  of  this  book. ' '  As  she  said  this  the  old 
woman  looked  intently  at  Nami. 

Then  she  continued. 

"I  had  learned  something  of  your  sad  story, 
and  I  used  to  watch  you  often  as  you  walked 
along  the  beach.  I  wanted  very  much  to  know 
you,  and  now  that  I  have  made  your  acquaint- 
ance it  pains  me  to  leave  you.  But  I'll  not 
think  of  you  lightly,  as  of  a  mere  passing  ac- 
quaintance. It  seems  to  me  that  something 
deeper  than  that  unites  us.  I  hope  that  you'll 
take  courage  once  again  and  not  let  yourself 
think  of  life  as  a  sad,  unbearable  burden.  And 
when  you'll  feel  better,  try  to  read  this  book. 
I'm  going  back  to  Tokyo,  but  I'll  think  of  you 
every  day." 

The  following  day  the  Christian  woman  left. 
The  book  that  she  had  given  to  Nami  remained 
near  the  young  woman's  bed. 

"After  she  has  suffered  so  atrociously  her- 
self,"  thought  Nami-ko,  "this  woman  finds  time 
to  comfort  the  miseries  of  others !  In  the  midst 
of  so  many  indifferent  people,  she  who  is 
neither  my  mother  nor  my  aunt,  deigns  to  re- 
member me ! "  Nami  took  comfort  from  these 

[331] 


THE    HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

thoughts.  From  time  to  time  she  would  recall 
the  sad  story  of  the  Yaso,  and  she  would  look 
into  the  book  that  the  good  woman  had  given 
her  with  such  a  compassionate  heart. 


[332] 


CHAPTER  VI 
Port  Arthur 

ON  the  22nd  of  November  Port  Arthur 
was  taken  by  the  Second  Army  Corps. 
* '  Mamma !  Mamma ! ' '  cried  Chizu,  run- 
ning excitedly  into  the  house,  waving  the  news- 
paper. 

" What's  the  matter?  You  know  it  isn't  nice 
to  shout  like  that ! ' '  said  the  mother,  looking  at 
Chizu  severely. 

Chizu  blushed  in  confusion,  then  smiled  and 
suddenly  became  serious  again. 

" Mamma,  Chijiwa  is  dead." 

1 1  Chijiwa  ? ' '  exclaimed  Madame  Kato.  * '  Chi- 
jiwa? How?  Slain  in  battle?" 

"Yes.  His  name  is  in  the  list  of  the  officers 
killed.  Better  for  him. ' ' 

"Don't  speak  like  that!  Chijiwa  killed  in 
battle!  I'd  never  have  believed  he  was  so 
brave.  His  death,  at  least,  was  more  beautiful 
than  his  life. ' ' 

"It's  better  that  he  is  dead.  Good  idea  for 
him  to  die.  He  was  only  a  trouble-maker, 
wasn't  he?" 

[333] 


THE    HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Madame  Kato  was  silent  for  a  moment,  then 
said,  sadly,  "Chizu-san,  it's  a  terrible  thing, 
just  the  same,  to  die  without  having  anybody 
shed  a  tear  for  us!" 

"The  widow  Kawashima  will  doubtless 
mourn  for  him,"  added  Koma,  with  an  ironic 
smile.  "By  the  way,  mamma,  do  you  know 
that  0-Toyo-san  has  left  the  Kawashima 
home?" 

"Really?  Are  you  sure?"  The  mother's 
face  expressed  keen  surprise. 

"Yes.  Yesterday  there  was  another  scene 
and  0-Toyo  ran  off  crying  to  her  house.  Well, 
I'm  glad  that  it  happened  at  last." 

"Nobody  can  live  in  that  house!" 

Madame  Kato  sighed.  Chizu  was  silent; 
mother  and  daughter  looked  at  each  other. 

Chijiwa  was  dead.  Three  weeks  later  there 
came  to  the  Kawashima  home,  from  Takeo,  a 
letter  with  a  package  that  contained  a  human 
bone.1 

The  letter  read,  in  part,  as  follows : 
"Two  days  after  the  taking  of  Port  Arthur 
I  went  ashore  with  some  other  officers.    We  took 
possessions  of  the  docks  and  the  ships  in  port. 

1  'Ikotsu.'      A   custom   according   to   which   a   bone    or   ashes    of   the 
dead  soldier  are   sent  to  his  family. 

[334] 


POET   ARTHUR 

The  horror  that  had  accompanied  the  terrible 
conflict,  and  that  had  followed  it,  surpasses  all 
description.  The  odor  of  blood  was  still  in  the 
air.  Accidently  crossing  the  place  occupied  by 
an  improvised  military  hospital  I  saw  some 
men  carrying  a  body  on  a  litter.  The  mouth 
and  the  chin  were  uncovered  and  made  a 
strange  impression  upon  me.  I  asked  the  name 
of  the  dead,  and  I  was  answered,  '  It  is  Lieuten- 
ant Chijiwa.'  I  removed  the  covering  and 
beheld  the  white  face  of  Chijiwa,  with  his  teeth 
clamped  together  in  the  last  agony. 

"At  the  assault  upon  the  fortress  of  Itsushan 
he  was  struck  by  an  enemy  bullet.  He  retained 
consciousness  till  the  next  morning,  then  ex- 
pired. I  sought  out  some  of  his  comrades  and 
inquired  after  the  details  of  his  final  moments. 
They  told  me  that  he  was  not  very  well  liked 
in  his  company,  but  that  he  was  a  brave  fighter 
and  that  he  was  one  of  the  first  to  enter  by  the 
North  gate  at  the  taking  of  Kin-Chow.  But  in 
other  matters  he  had  not  acted  very  correctly. 
He  always  had  plenty  of  money  with  him.  At 
Pitzu-wo  he  had  shown  great  cruelty  toward 
the  natives.  Moreover,  despite  its  being  for- 
bidden under  the  harshest  penalties,  he  had 
robbed  and  plundered  them,  and  because  of  this 

[335] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

was  soon  to  be  brought  up  for  trial.  At  any 
rate,  we  may  say  that  his  death  was  such  as 
to  cancel  in  part  his  past  faults,  and  came  to 
him  as  a  happy  way  out  of  his  difficulties. 

1  'As  you  know,  Chijiwa  caused  me  much 
trouble  in  the  past,  and  we  had  broken  off  all 
relations  for  good.  But  I  bear  no  grudge 
against  the  dead;  rather  when  I  think  of  the 
days  in  which  were  like  brothers,  I  mourn  him 
sincerely.  I  was  able  to  secure  permission  to 
cremate  his  body.  I  send  you  a  little  bone  from 
his  skeleton,  thinking  that  you  may  desire  to 
bury  it  there  with  due  solemnity." 

This  was  not  the  only  interesting  news  that 
Takeo  might  have  written  in  regard  to  his  so- 
journ at  Port  Arthur.  Something  else  of 
greater  importance  had  taken  place,  but  this 
he  purposely  made  no  mention  of  in  his  letter. 

On  the  very  day  upon  which  Takeo  had  dis- 
covered Chijiwa 's  body,  he  had  been  obliged  to 
stay  over  in  the  city  before  returning  to  his 
ship.  The  sun  had  already  gone  down.  Takeo 
passed  along  between  guards  with  their  shining 
bayonets,  beside  generals  on  horseback,  and 
orderlies  who  were  scurrying  hither  and  thither 
on  their  duties,  among  astonished,  frightened 
Chinese,  and  curiosity-seekers  of  every  kind 

[336] 


PORT   ARTHUR 

and  nationality.  At  last  he  came  to  a  fire  at 
which  several  coolies  were  warming  themselves. 

"It's  very  cold,"  said  one  of  these.  "If  we 
were  home,  we'd  have  a  little  fire  and  onion 
soup  at  least.  ...  Oh  I  Kichi,  what  a  fine  prize 
you've  got  there!" 

Kichi,  indeed,  was  wearing  a  costly  coat  of 
red,  padded  silk, — surely  part  of  the  spoils  of 
war. 

"But  just  take  a  peep  at  His  Excellence  Gen, 
will  you!"  retorted  Kichi.  "He's  wearing  a 
fur-coat  that's  worth  at  least  400  yen!" 

"Lucky  Gen!"  replied  the  first.  "He  never 
loses  at  cards,  not  a  bullet  can  hit  him,  and  he 
gets  away  with  plenty  of  booty.  And  look  at 
me  I  I  never  have  any  luck  at  all.  I  lost  every- 
thing I  had  at  Tailieuwan. . . .  But  I  '11  certainly 
do  my  best  to  get  sweet  revenge  upon  all  you  I ' ' 

"Be  careful,"  observed  his  companion.  "To- 
day I  was  in  a  house  where  I  suddenly  saw  a 
soldier  come  out  from  behind  a  box.  .  .  .  He 
rushed  at  me  from  his  hiding-place  and  un- 
sheathed his  sword.  He  thought  I  meant  to 
kill  him,  but  I  was  frightened  out  of  my  very 
wits.  Luckily  our  soldiers  happened  along  and 
finished  him.  Otherwise  I'd  have  done  the  job 
myself." 

[337] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

"The  crazy  fellows!  Why  are  they  staying 
here  yet?  Do  they  all  want  to  be  wiped  out?" 

Only  two  days  had  passed  since  the  taking  of 
Port  Arthur  and  a  number  of  fugitive  Chinese 
soldiers  had  been  killed  without  quarter  in  the 
houses  where  they  had  hidden  themselves,  be- 
cause they  offered  resistance. 

Takeo  had  heard  the  conversation  as  he 
walked  slowly  along  the  street  towards  the 
harbor.  The  roads  were  ill  lighted  and  hardly 
a  person  was  to  be  met.  Near  the  arsenal  it 
seemed  to  him  that  he  could  make  out  a  dark 
shadow  against  the  long,  massive  wall.  Takeo 
at  once  slunk  into  an  obscure  corner  that  per- 
mitted him  to  watch  without  being  noticed. 

About  fifty  metres  ahead  of  him  two  men 
were  walking  along,  their  backs  toward  him. 
One  of  these  was  of  very  stout  figure ;  the  other, 
quite  thin.  The  shadow  that  Takeo  had  seen 
against  the  wall  was  now  following  the  two 
men,  who  seemed  to  Takeo  to  be  wearing  the 
Japanese  uniform.  The  shadow  passed  quickly 
and  silently  under  the  light  of  a  dim  street- 
lamp,  and  Takeo,  from  the  large  hat,  recog- 
nized that  it  was  a  Chinaman.  Something  bril- 
liant sparkled  in  the  shadow's  hands.  Takeo 
hastened  his  step. 

[338] 


PORT  ARTHUR 

The  two  officers  had  reached  a  turn  in  the 
street.  .  .  .  The  Chinaman  approached  closer 
to  them  and  when  they  had  turned  the  corner 
he  stopped  for  a  moment,  then  jumped  forward 
into  the  light  and  having  reached  a  distance  of 
about  ten  metres  from  the  men  he  aimed  his 
revolver  and  fired.  The  short,  thin  officer  fell 
to  the  ground.  .  .  .  The  Chinaman  raised  his 
weapon  once  more,  aiming  at  the  other  officer, 
when  suddenly  Takeo 's  strong  arm  came  down 
heavily  upon  the  assassin's  shoulder,  causing 
him  to  drop  the  weapon.  With  a  cry  of  rage 
the  Chinaman  hurled  himself  upon  Takeo,  and 
soon  the  two  men  were  engaged  in  a  furious 
struggle.  The  stout  officer  came  running  to 
the  aid  of  the  man  who  had  saved  his  life,  while 
from  afar  came  the  tramp  of  a  Japanese  patrol, 
summoned  by  the  discharge  of  the  revolver. 

Takeo  breathed  with  difficulty  because  of  the 
effort  of  the  struggle.  He  raised  his  glance  to 
the  face  of  the  officer  who  had  come  to  his  aid. 

The  pale  light  of  the  street-lamp  revealed 
the  features  of  General  Kataoka ! 

"You!  Your  Excellence!"  exclaimed  Takeo, 
astounded. 

"Takeo!" 

The  general  was  no  less  moved  than  Takeo. 

[339] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Kataoka  and  his  aide-de-camp  had  been  at- 
tacked on  their  way  back  from  a  sortie.  The 
aide  was  gravely  wounded,  but  the  general  was 
unhurt. 

Without  knowing  it,  Takeo  had  saved  the  life 
of  Kami's  father. 

When  the  news  was  told  to  Nami,  old  Iku 
exclaimed,  "See!  See  how  much  we  owe  to 
him !  Oh,  my  dear  mistress !  Try  hard  to  get 
well  soon! 

Nami  replied  with  her  pale,  sad  smile. 


340] 


CHAPTER  VII 

The  Return  of  Takeo 

THE  year  came  to  an  end  and  the  war  was 
still  going  on.  Now  came  a  new  year, 
the  28th  in  the  era  of  Meiji.  On  the 
second  of  February  Wei-hai-wei  was  captured 
and  the  Chinese  fleet  surrendered.  By  March 
the  Pescadores  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
Japanese,  while  in  the  north  the  imperial  army 
was  overwhelming  the  enemy  like  a  mighty  tor- 
rent and  thrusting  it  beyond  the  river  Liao. 
Then  ambassadors  were  sent  to  Japan  to  dis- 
cuss conditions  of  peace,  and  by  the  middle  of 
April  (the  17th)  the  peace  treaty  was  signed 
at  Shimonosaki,  by  Li-Hung- Chang  and  Count 
Hirobumi  Ito.  The  intervention  of  the  Euro- 
pean powers,  Eussia,  France  and  Germany, 
caused  a  modification  of  the  treaty.  Japan 
evacuated  the  peninsula  of  Liaotung  and  re- 
ceived from  China  an  indemnity  of  259,000,000 
francs. 

At  the  end  of  May  the  Emperor  was  received 
in  triumph  at  the  Capital,  as  Supreme  Comman- 
der of  the  Forces  of  Land  and  Sea. 

[341] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

The  war  was  over.  The  Japanese  eagle,  with 
a  vigorous  blow  of  her  wings,  had  put  to  flight 
the  Chinese  dragon. 

After  Takeo  had  buried  the  ashes  of  Chijiwa, 
the  same  day  upon  which  he  had  saved  the  life 
of  General  Kataoka,  he  took  part  in  the  bom- 
bardment of  Wei-hai-wei  and  at  the  occupation 
of  the  Pescadores. 

At  the  beginning  of  June  his  vessel  reached 
Yokosuka  and  he  left  for  his  home. 

A  year  had  passed  since,  furious  at  her  cruel 
action,  he  had  left  his  mother.  The  grave  and 
frightful  events  that  had  taken  place  in  the 
meantime,  had  in  a  measure  softened  his  more 
violent  feelings.  During  the  long  rainy  days 
at  the  Saseho  hospital,  during  the  nights  in 
which  he  had  trembled  with  the  cold  before  Wei- 
hai-wei,  his  thoughts  had  turned  more  than 
once  to  the  warm  room  at  Tokyo. 

As  Takeo  entered  his  home  nothing  new 
greeted  his  gaze,  unless  it  was  the  unknown 
face  of  the  maid  who  opened  the  door  for  him. 
His  mother  was  as  stout  as  usual,  and  had  been 
forced  to  take  to  bed  because  of  her  rheumatism. 
Tazaki  came  every  day  and  sat  for  many  hours 
in  the  small  study,  as  was  his  wont.  Every- 
thing that  Takeo  saw  and  heard  was  unchanged. 

[342] 


THE   RETURN   OF    TAKEO 

There  was  nothing  to  divert  the  mind  of  the 
young  ensign.  He  had  come  back  to  his  mother 
after  a  long  absence,  had  taken  a  comforting 
bath  in  his  old  home,  and  was  now  sitting  on 
a  soft  downy  cushion,  eating  his  favorite  dishes 
and  resting  his  head  against  the  white  pillow 
of  his  bed ;  yet  he  could  not  find  here  the  peace- 
ful dreams  of  yore.  The  clock  struck  one,  then 
two,  and  three.  .  .  .  His  tired  eyes  would  not 
close.  His  heart  could  find  no  repose. 

The  year  that  had  passed  had  erased  the 
memory  of  the  rupture  between  mother  and 
son;  at  least,  so  it  appeared.  Naturally  the 
mother  was  happy  to  have  her  son  back  with 
her,  and  he  in  turn  felt  solaced  upon  beholding 
her.  But  both,  after  the  first  exchange  of 
words,  felt  that  they  could  never  be  to  each 
other  what  they  had  once  been.  He  did  not 
ask  after  Nami,  nor  did  the  widow  offer  any 
information.  And  because  both  felt  that  they 
must  avoid  this  topic  in  order  not  to  disturb 
the  external  peace  they  desired,  they  exper- 
ienced embarrassment  at  every  lapse  in  the 
conversation. 

Once  Takeo  resumed  his  home  life  every  little 
object  about  him  brought  back  vivid  memories 
of  Nami,  and  his  heart  beat  more  and  more  with 

[343] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

the  desire  for  her.  Where  was  she  now?  Did 
she  know  that  he  had  come  back?  Love  knows 
no  distance,  yet  after  the  severing  of  their  mar- 
riage ties  the  Kataoka  home,  not  far  away,  was 
farther  from  him  than  the  stars  in  heaven.  He 
could  not  visit  even  his  aunt  for  news  of  Nami. 
When,  the  previous  year,  he  had  taken  leave  of 
his  wife  at  Zushi,  he  never  dreamt  that  it  was 
their  last  good-bye.  The  cry  of  "Come  back 
soon ! ' '  that  she  had  uttered  from  the  porch  of 
the  villa  still  sounded  in  his  ears.  .  .  .  But  to 
whom  could  he  now  say,  "Here  I  am,  back 
again  .  .  .  .?" 

Tormented  by  this  question  one  day,  while 
he  was  on  the  way  to  Yokosuka,  he  got  off  at 
the  Zushi  station  and  mechanically  took  the 
path  to  the  villa.  The  door  was  closed.  He 
assumed  that  the  people  had  returned  to  Tokyo 
and  walked  around  the  house.  There  was  only 
the  gardener  about,  clearing  away  the  weeds. 

The  old  servant  raised  his  glance  at  the 
sound  of  footsteps.  Upon  recognizing  the 
visitor  he  removed  his  hachimaki1  respectfully 
and  bowed,  saying  with  an  air  of  surprise, 
*  *  Good  day,  master.  When  did  you  come  back  ? ' ' 

1  'Hacliimaki.1     A  kerchief  that  is  rolled  and  tied  around  the  head. 

[344] 


THE  RETURN  OF  TAKEO 

"Only  a  few  days  ago.  And  are  you  well, 
Mokei?" 

"Yes,  sir,  thank  you,"  replied  the  old  man. 

"Are  you  here  all  alone?" 

"Yes,  sir.  Madame  the  baroness  ....  my 
sick  mistress  ....  remained  here  with  Iku  until 
the  last  of  the  past  month.  Then  I  was  left  to 
take  care  of  the  house." 

"Went  back  last  month?  Then  she's  in 
Tokyo,"  murmured  Takeo,  in  a  subdued  voice. 

The  old  man  continued. 

"They  returned  to  Tokyo  before  the  general, 
my  master,  came  from  China.  When  he  re- 
turned he  left  with  the  lady  for  Kyoto,  and 
I  believe  that's  where  they  are  now." 

"Kyoto?  Then  she  must  be  all  better," 
thought  Takeo.  "And  when  was  it  that  they 
left  for  Kyoto?" 

"Four  or  five  days." 

The  old  gardener  suddenly  recollected  the 
state  of  affairs  and  at  once  grew  silent,  fear- 
ing that  he  had  gossipped  too  freely  already. 
Takeo  understood  what  the  servant  was  think- 
ing, and  grew  very  red. 

Several  moments  passed  before  they  spoke 
again.  Then  the  old  man,  as  if  apologizing, 
said,  "Now  I'll  open  the  door  for  you.  Per- 

[345] 


THE    HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

haps  the  baron  would  like  to  come  in  and  have 
a  cup  of  tea. ' ' 

"No.  Don't  trouble  yourself.  I  just  came 
in  on  my  way  back." 

Takeo  glanced  about  him.  The  garden  had 
not  changed,  but  the  doors  and  the  windows 
were  shut  and  the  fish-basin  was  dry.  Dead 
leaves  were  strewn  across  the  paths  and  from 
the  trees  here  and  there  golden  plum  blossoms 
were  falling.  The  roses,  now  in  full  bloom, 
covered  the  ground  with  their  petals  and  filled 
the  surrounding  air  with  their  perfume.  Not 
a  soul  was  to  be  seen  and  the  monotonous  chirp- 
ing of  the  crickets  was  the  only  sound  that  dis- 
turbed the  scene. 

Takeo  took  leave  of  the  gardener  and  set  out 
on  the  road  back. 

Several  days  later  he  received  orders  to  leave 
for  the  south  to  help  repress  some  uprisings. 
He  had  spent  ten  days  at  his  home.  While  his 
comrades  were  celebrating  their  return  with 
noisy  parties,  the  days  passed  most  monoto- 
nously for  him.  His  house,  for  which  he  longed 
so  deeply  while  he  was  away,  today  meant  noth- 
ing to  him  now  that  he  had  come  back.  It  did 
not  hold  that  which  could  fill  the  void  in  his 
heart. 

[346] 


THE   RETURN   OF   TAKEO 

His  mother,  who  suspected  her  son's  feelings, 
allowed  her  bitterness  to  creep  into  her  words. 
Takeo,  feeling  that  she  understood  his  attitude, 
experienced  keen  embarrassment  when  they 
were  together.  A  barrier  had  arisen  between 
them.  Both  mother  and  son,  however,  re- 
strained themselves,  and  there  were  no  out- 
bursts such  as  had  formerly  occurred.  Never- 
theless, Takeo  was  further  from  his  mother 
than  he  had  been  the  year  before.  His  heart 
could  not  be  more  distant.  They  parted  coldly. 

He  was  supposed  to  leave  for  Yokosuka,  but 
having  lost  the  train  he  decided  to  join  his  ves- 
sel at  Kure,  and  so  left  on  the  10th  of  June,  sad 
and  silent,  on  the  train  from  Tokaido. 


[347] 


CHAPTER  VIII 

As  Two  Trains  Passed 

THREE  persons  came  out  of  the  temple  of 
Obakusan  at  Uji,  province  of  Yamato; 
a  man  of  about  fifty,  stout,  dressed  in 
European  fashion  and  holding  in  his  hand  a 
cane  with  a  golden  head,  a  woman  of  about 
twenty,  of  distinguished  appearance,  who  was 
shielding  her  face  from  the  sun's  rays  with  a 
black  silk  parasol,  and  an  old  servant  carrying 
a  small  traveling  bag. 

Three  kurumas  awaited  them  as  they  came 
out.  The  man,  however,  turning  to  his  young 
companion,  said,  "The  weather  is  so  fine  that 
we  could  take  a  little  walk.  Don't  you  think 
so?" 

"Yes.    Of  course.    Let's  walk  .  .  .  ." 
"You  are  not  tired?"  asked  the  old  woman, 
solicitously. 

' '  No.    It  '11  do  me  good  to  have  a  short  walk. ' ' 
"Then  let's  go  along  very  slowly  and  have 
the  kurumas  follow  us  nearby. ' ' 

The  group  comprised  General  Kataoka,  Nami 
and  Iku.  The  day  before  they  had  come  hither 

[348] 


AS  TWO  TRAINS  PASSED 

from  Nara,  and  were  now  on  their  way  to  the 
Yamashina  station,  to  return  to  Otsu. 

The  general  had  come  back  on  the  31st  of 
May,  and  had  at  once  engaged  in  a  long  con- 
versation with  his  daughter's  physician.  Two 
days  later  he  had  left  for  Kyoto  with  Nami  and 
Iku.  There  he  selected  a  quiet  inn  on  the  bank 
of  the  river,  refused  every  invitation  extended 
to  him  by  friends,  put  on  civilian  clothes  and 
gave  his  entire  time  up  to  his  favorite  daugh- 
ter, whom  he  accompanied  on  her  sightseeing 
tours  about  the  city  and  its  environs,  seeking 
to  divert  her  mind  from  her  deep  meditations. 

Thus  they  visited  the  exposition,  various  tem- 
ples and  noted  spots,  and  the  large  emporiums 
at  Nishijin,  where  Nami  bought  silks  and  vari- 
ous gifts. 

The  first  picking  of  tea  was  over,  and  the 
wind  carried  the  perfume  of  the  leaves  that 
lay  drying  in  the  air.  Groups  of  girls  were 
engaged  in  the  second  harvest,  scurrying  hither 
and  thither  over  the  fields.  The  large  tea  plan- 
tations were  divided  here  and  there  by  yellow 
fields  of  grain,  and  from  time  to  time  could  be 
seen  the  flash  of  scythes  in  the  sun.  The  dis- 
tant hills  of  Yamato  were  lost  in  a  thin  mist. . . . 

[349]' 


THE   HEART   OP   NAMI-SAN 

The  river  Uji,  dotted  by  white  sails,  meandered 
among  the  fields.  All  at  once,  from  a  neighbor- 
ing hamlet,  came  the  merry  ringing  of  the  bells, 
announcing  noontime. 

Nami  sighed. 

From  a  path  nearby  came  two  peasants,  a 
man  and  his  wife,  returning  to  work  after  their 
mid-day  meal.  The  man  carried  a  scythe  across 
his  shoulder;  the  woman  kept  talking  cease- 
lessly, showing  her  blackened  teeth.  In  her 
hand  she  carried  a  teapot.  As  they  approached 
Nami  the  peasant  woman  stopped  for  a  moment 
to  look  at  her.  The  couple  continued  to  talk, 
finally  turning  off  into  a  side  path  hidden  by 
the  wild  thistles. 

Kami's  eyes  followed  them.  The  man's  large 
straw  hat  disappeared  into  the  distance  to- 
gether with  the  woman's  white  kerchief,  whi li- 
the happy  notes  of  the  love  song  they  had  been 
singing  were  lost  in  the  air,  which  was  drenched 
with  Hunlight  and  perfumes. 

Nami  lowered  her  gaze  to  the  earth.  The 
general  grasped  her  hand,  Haying  with  utmost 
kindness,  "You  must  be  tired,  Nami-san. 
Aren't  you!" 

She  shook  her  head  in  token  of  denial.  He 
continued. 

[360] 


AS  TWO  TRAINS  PASSED 

"How  quickly   time  files!     Do  you  know, 
N   :ui,  when  you  were  a  little  tot  you  us* 
kick  mo  with  your  little  foot  while  I'd  take  joa 
a-back  riding?    You  must  have  been  five 
or  six  years  old  ther 

That's  so,  I  recall  it  very  well,"  corro- 
borated Iku.  "When  the  baron  used  to  carry 
milady  ou  his  back  her  little  sister  wanted  to 
climb  up.  too,  and  she  cried.  .  .  .  Even  today 
1  '11  wager  she  would  like  to  be  here  with  us," 

N  a  mi's  lips  showed  the  trace  of  a  smile. 

"I'd  like  to  ask  a  question,  general,  if  I  may 
be  permitted,"  requested  Iku.  hesitantly. 
"Isn't  the  river  wo  just  crossed  the  I'jigawaf 
It's  famous  for  the  glow-worms  that  are  fond 
of  its  banks,  and  also  because  there  Komar.awa, 
the  hero  of  the  noted  drama,  found  his  darling 
Miynki." 

'Hiood.  good  for  yon.  Ikn.  .  .  .  Von 're  really 
a  most  learned  woman!"  exclaimed  the  geu- 
cral,  laughing.  "The  world  changes  rapidly. 
"When  I  was  a  boy  the  journey  t'roin  Osaka  to 
Kyoto  had  to  be  made  in  a  junk,  and  the 
travelers  were  shut  up  in  a  sort  of  trunk.  When 
I  was  about  twenty  a  very  funny  adventure 
befell  me.  At  that  tin:;  >  -:d  Ka.-.eda 

came  to  Osaka,  bringing  with  them  the  priest 

[351] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Gesscho;  there  were  rather  serious  riots  and 
I  was  sent  there  on  service.  The  order  came 
to  me  so  unexpectedly  that  I  had  to  leave  at 
once  and  forgot  to  take  money  with  me.  What 
could  I  do?  From  here  I  had  to  go  on  foot,  at 
night,  all  the  way  to  Osaka,  following  the  bank 
of  the  river."  The  general  laughed  at  the 
recollection  out  of  his  happiest  days.  "Aren't 
you  too  warm,  Nami?  We'd  better  go  back  to 
the  kurumas." 

Iku  signalled  the  kuruma  drivers  to  stop ;  the 
three  mounted  the  vehicles,  which  went  off  to- 
ward Yamashina  across  the  fields  of  tea  and 
grain. 

Nami,  her  eyes  fixed  upon  the  gray  hat  of  her 
father,  who  rode  before  her,  fell  into  sad 
thoughts.  This  trip  with  her  parent  had  not 
restored  her  good  spirits ;  it  was  most  depress- 
ing to  be  reminded  at  every  moment  that  hence- 
forth all  joy  was  denied  her  forever.  How  sad 
it  was  to  await  consolation  only  in  death, — all 
the  more  so  because  a  father  whom  she  loved 
tenderly  must  suffer  this  desolate  wait  with 
her !  Both  found  a  certain  solace  for  their  com- 
mon grief  in  recalling  the  days  of  the  happy, 
distant  past. 

At  Kyoto  Nami  bought  some  silk  garments, 

[352] 


AS  TWO  TRAINS  PASSED 

certain  that  she  herself  would  never  wear  them, 
but  choosing  them  carefully,  in  the  thought  that 
Koma,  wearing  them  one  day,  would  think  of 
her. 

Nami's  love  for  her  father  was  not  enough 
to  erase  in  her  heart  the"  rememberance  of 
Takeo.  She  had  heard  nothing  about  him  since 
she  had  learned  that  he  had  saved  her  father's 
life  at  Port  Arthur.  She  did  not  even  know 
where  he  was.  But  wherever  she  went,  the 
thought  of  him  accompanied  her;  she  saw  him 
often  in  her  dreams.  Ah,  how  ardently  Nami 
wished  to  see  him  in  person  at  least  once  before 
she  died !  The  notes  of  the  love  song  that  she 
had  just  heard  still  echoed  in  her  ears,  and  her 
thought  went  back  to  the  two  happy  peasants 
who  had  disappeared  into  the  distance  side  by 
side.  .  .  .  Oh!  Despite  their  coarse  clothes, 
they  were  happy!  And  she  ....  in  her  gar- 
ments of  silk !  .  .  .  . 

Her  eyes  filled  with  tears.  With  all  her 
strength  she  sought  to  banish  them,  to  master 
her  emotions,  and  a  violent  fit  of  coughing 
shook  her  delicate  frame. 

The  general  turned  toward  her  uneasily. 

"It's  gone  by,  gone  by,"  murmured  Nami, 
trying  to  smile  as  she  pressed  her  palm  against 

[353] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

her  breast,  where  she  felt  a  keen  darting  pain, 

At  the  station  they  entered  an  east-bound 
train.  They  were  by  themselves,  in  a  first-class 
compartment.  Nami  sat  down  near  the  open 
window,  and  the  general,  opposite  her,  began 
to  read  the  paper.  The  train  was  on  the  point 
of  leaving. 

Another  train,  coming  from  the  opposite  di- 
rection stopped  at  this  moment  on  the  neighbor- 
ing rails,  and  the  conductors  had  already  op- 
ened the  doors,  crying,  "Yamashina!  Yama- 
shina!"  The  locomotive  of  the  train  which 
Nami  had  boarded  let  out  a  piercing  whistle 
and  the  cars  slowly  began  to  move.  As  they 
passed  by  the  second-class  coaches  of  the  train 
on  the  next  rails  Nami's  eyes  fell  accidentally 
upon  a  young  man,  dressed  in  European  fash- 
ion, whose  face  was  buried  in  his  hands. 

From  Nami's  lips  there  issued  an  inarti- 
culate sound. 

"Oh!    Nami-san!"    cried  Takeo. 

The  train  increased  its  speed.  Beside  her- 
self with  joy  and  emotion  Nami  seized  her 
violet  handkerchief  from  her  girdle  and  waved 
it  through  the  window. 

'Take  care!"   cried  Iku  with  deep  concern 
as  she  grasped  Nami  firmly  by  the  sleeve. 

[354] 


AS  TWO  TRAINS  PASSED 

The  general,  too,  thrust  his  head  through 
the  window  and  waved  his  newspaper  to  Takeo. 

Faster  and  faster  the  trains  increased  the 
distance  between  them. 

Nami  still  looked  ....  Takeo 's  handkerchief 
was  fluttering  in  the  breeze  that  had  borne  Na- 
mi's  cry  to  his  ears.  Suddenly  a  sharp  curve 
hid  the  lovers  from  each  other.  "Ah!" 

There  was  a  sound  as  of  silk  being  torn. 
And  he  who  had  uttered  it  was  now  rapidly 
rolling  toward  the  west  in  the  departing  train. 

Nami  covered  her  face  with  her  hands,  and 
fell  upon  her  father's  knees. 


[355] 


CHAPTER  IX 
Sayonara ! 

[Farewell] 

THE  evening  of  'the  7th  of  July  found 
many  persons  assembled  in  the  home  of 
the  Kataokas.  They  all  spoke  in  whis- 
pers. .  .  .  Nami  was  at  the  point  of  death. 

When,  toward  the  end  of  June,  the  general 
had  returned  with  her  from  the  trip  that  was 
meant  to  divert  her  mind,  the  family  saw  at 
once  that  the  poor  girl  had  grown  worse.  The 
physician  himself  was  forced,  with  surprise 
and  grief,  to  confess  that  the  disease  had  made 
rapid  progress  in  its  fatal  work  of  destruction. 
The  condition  of  her  lungs  had  become  far 
more  serious  and  in  addition  had  appeared  a 
disturbance  of  the  heart.  A  few  days  later  a 
lamp  burned  continuously  in  the  Kataoka  home, 
and  doctors  came  and  went  without  cease. 

Madame  Kataoka,  who  was  just  getting 
ready  to  leave  for  a  summer  resort,  deferred 
her  departure. 

Nami  grew  weaker  day  by  day.     The  hem- 

[356] 


SAYONARA! 

orrhages  and  the  attacks  of  suffocation  came 
more  frequently  than  ever,  and  would  be  fol- 
lowed by  a  state  of  coma.  Every  time  that  an 
attack  of  coughing  would  summon  the  general 
hastily  to  her  beside,  where  he  would  support 
her  tired  head  and  look  at  her  with  compassion- 
ate affection,  she  mustered  the  strength  to 
smile  at  him.  In  her  hours  of  semi-conscious- 
ness she  often  murmured  the  name  of  Takeo. 

The  fateful  day  had  come.  The  entire  room 
was  illuminated.  Nobody  dared  to  speak  and 
the  whole  house  was  as  silent  as  the  tomb. 

Two  women  came  out  of  the  sick  room,  so  as 
to  relieve  the  patient  of  all  disturbance.  One 
of  these  was  Madame  Kato;  the  other,  the  old 
Christian  woman  that  had  saved  Nami's  life 
on  the  cliffs  of  Zushi.  She  had  not  seen  the 
sufferer  since  the  previous  autumn  and  now 
she  had  been  summoned  by  Nami's  express 
desire. 

"I  thank  you  for  your  kindness.  She  wanted 
so  much  to  see  you  before  she  died.  ...  I  am 
sure  that  your  coming  has  given  her  great 
comfort. ' ' 

Madame  Kato  could  scarcely  speak,  so  great 
was  her  emotion. 

[357] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

The  old  woman  sighed,  and  did  not  reply. 
At  last  she  asked,  in  a  low  voice,  "  Where  is 
he?" 

"They  told  me  he  was  at  Formosa." 

"Formosa!"  murmured  the  Christian 
woman,  and  sighed. 

Madame  Kato  could  not  repress  her  tears. 
"If  it  weren't  so  far  away,"  she  managed  to 
say,  "we  could  have  notified  him.  .  .  .  She 
thinks  of  nothing  but  him,  and  wants  to  see 
him  once  again.  But  I'm  afraid  that  by  this 
time  he  has  embarked,  and  besides  with  the 
strict  discipline  maintained  on  warships.  ..." 

At  this  moment  there  entered  Madame  Ka- 
taoka  and  Chizu,  who  hurriedly  murmured  a 
few  words  to  her  mother;  then  suddenly  she 
returned  to  the  sick  room. 

Nami  was  lying  upon  a  white  bed,  in  the 
middle  of  a  large  room  that  was  lighted  by  a 
few  candles.  Prostrated  by  the  disease  that 
had  been  tormenting  her  for  two  years,  she 
looked  now  like  a  shadow.  Her  wan  face  was 
almost  tranparent,  but  her  jet-black  hair  was 
still  smooth,  shining,  and  her  eyes  yet  shone 
with  a  keen,  intelligent  sparkle.  Beside  the 
bed,  the  nurse  moistened  the  patient's  lips 
from  time  to  time  with  a  sip  of  cold  wine,  while 

[358] 


SAYONAEA! 

i 

Iku,  her  cheeks  thin  and  her  eyes  hollow, 
rubbed  Nami's  limbs,  which  seemed  to  be 
slowly  freezing. 

Everything  was  wrapped  in  silence.  Only 
the  labored  breathing  of  the  dying  girl  could 
be  heard.  All  at  once  she  opened  her  eyes  and 
asked,  in  a  very  thin  voice,  "Is  auntie  here?" 

Madame  Kato  stepped  closer  to  the  bed  and 
said  to  her,  "Were  you  able  to  get  a  little  sleep? 
You  feel  better  now,  don't  you?" 

"I  beg  you,  leave  the  room  for  a  moment," 
said  Nami  to  the  other  two  women,  who  at 
once  left. 

When  they  had  gone  Madame  Kato  came 
closer  still  to  the  bed,  caressed  Nami's  hair 
and  looked  fondly  into  her  face. 

Then  Nami,  with  a  trembling  hand,  took  from 
underneath  her  pillow  a  sealed  letter. 

' '  Take  this,  auntie.  .  .  .  Give  it  to  him,  when 
I  shall  no  longer  be  here.  ..." 

Madame  Kato  wiped  her  eyes  and  concealed 
the  letter  in  the  folds  of  her  girdle. 

"Yes,  my  darling,  I'll  give  it  to  him  with  my 
own  hands." 

"The  ring  ....  this  ring.  ..." 

Nami  placed  her  left  hand  upon  her  aunt's 
knee.  Upon  her  finger  shone  the  diamond  that 

[359] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Takeo  had  given  her  on  their  wedding  day.  All 
the  other  gifts  had  been  sent  back  to  the  Ka- 
washima  home,  but  Nami  had  desired  to  keep 
the  most  precious  and  dearest  of  them. 

"The  ring. ...  I'll  take  with  me. .  . .  and  wear 
it.  ...  forever." 

Madame  Kato  inclined  her  head  without 
speaking.  Her  throat  was  stifled  with  tears. 

Nami  closed  her  eyes.  Then  she  opened 
them  again,  saying,  "How  I'd  like  to  know 
what  he's  doing  now.  ..." 

"Takeo-san  is  at  Formosa,  on  duty.  He 
thinks  of  us  always.  If  it  will  be  possible  we  '11 
beg  him  to  come. .  . .  Nami-san,  be  calm.  ...  I  '11 
tell  him  about  you  and  give  him  your  letter  ..." 

A  faint  smile  appeared  on  Nami's  lips. 

Suddenly  her  face,  at  first  pale,  turned  pur- 
ple; her  breast  rose  in  a  terrible  spasm  and 
cold  tears  slowly  trickled  down  her  cheeks. 

"Oh!    My  heart!    My  heart! " 

With  the  aid  of  her  aunt  she  sat  up  some- 
what, grasping  the  woman's  hands  in  a  vise- 
like  grip  as  they  contracted  with  the  intensity 
of  the  pain.  Her  aunt  started  to  call  for  the 
doctor,  when  a  final  attack  of  coughing  seized 
Nami  and  a  violent  hemorrhage  forced  her  to 
fall  back  upon  the  pillows. 

[360] 


SAYONARA! 

The  doctor  assisted  by  the  nurse,  sought  to 
bring  the  sufferer  some  relief.  He  had  the 
window  nearby  opened,  and  a  gust  of  the  fresh 
evening  air  blew  in. 

The  moon  had  risen  and  its  white  light  ap- 
peared through  the  branches  of  the  trees. 

The  general,  the  viscountess,  Madame  Kato, 
Chizu,  Koma,  and  Iku  had  all  rushed  to  the 
bedside  of  the  dying  woman.  A  light  breeze 
seemed  to  play  with  Nami's  tresses;  she  lay 
colorless  and  motionless,  as  if  already  dead. 
The  physician  examined  her  face  and  felt  her 
pulse,  while  the  nurse  held  a  candle  whose 
light  flickered  in  the  wind. 

Ten  minutes  went  by.  Then  there  was  heard 
a  gentle  sigh  and  Nami's  lips  moved.  Into  her 
half-open  mouth  the  physician  poured  a  spoon- 
ful of  wine.  Another  sigh  was  heard,  this  time 
stronger,  and  Nami  murmured,  "Let  me  go 
back.  Let  me  go  back.  .  .  .  Mamma,  mamma 
dear,  I  am  coming  to  you. . . .  Am  I  still  here  I ' ' 
she  asked  when  she  opened  her  eyes  and  looked 
upon  those  standing  about. 

The  moon  was  high  in  the  heavens  and  now 
its  light  fell  directly  upon  Nami's  face,  envelop- 
ing it  in  a  fantastic  aureole. 

The  doctor  looked  at  the  general  and  yielded 

[361] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

to  him  the  place  at  Nami's  side.  The  general 
pressed  the  cold  hand  of  his  daughter. 

"Nami,  listen  to  me.  I'm  your  father.  .  .  . 
We  are  all  here  beside  you.  ..." 

Nami  turned  her  eyes  from  one  to  the  other ; 
they  no  longer  shone.  At  last  she  looked  into 
the  general's  face;  his  eyes  were  full  of  tears. 

*  '  Papa  dear. ...  be  brave. ..."  she  whispered 
in  a  weak  voice. 

A  few  tears  slowly  rolled  down  her  cheeks 
as  she  moved  her  hand  slightly  to  grasp  that  of 
her  father. 

"Mamma?"  she  then  whispered. 

The  viscountess  drew  near  and  gently  wiped 
the  tears  that  bathed  Nami's  cheeks.  The  lat- 
ter grasped  the  hand  that  had  caressed  her  and 
murmured,  "Mamma,  I'm  going  away.  ..." 

The  viscountess's  lips  trembled;  she  covered 
her  face  with  her  hands  and  left  the  room  with- 
out uttering  a  word. 

Madame  Kato  spoke  some  phrase  of  consola- 
tion to  Chizu,  who  was  weeping  bitterly,  then 
approached  the  bed  and  took  Nami's  hand, 
which  had  fallen  across  the  pillow.  Koma,  too, 
came  near  and  kneeled  beside  her  sister.  Nami 
raised  her  trembling  hand  and  lay  it  upon 
Koma's  head. 

[362] 


SAYONARA! 

"Koma-san.  .  .  .    Sayonara!    Farewell!" 

Nami's  breathing  became  more  labored  than 
ever;  Koma,  with  a  shaking  hand,  poured  an- 
other spoonful  of  wine  between  her  sister's  lips. 
Slowly  Nami  raised  her  eyebrows  and  cast  a 
last  look  about  her. 

"Ki-chan.  .  .  .  Mi-chan?"  she  asked,  with  a 
supreme  effort.  But  the  children  did  not 
reply.  .  .  .  They  had  been  compassionately  re- 
moved from  the  house  of  sorrow.  Someone  else 
responded,  but  Nami  did  not  seem  to  hear. 

Iku,  struggling  with  her  tears,  came  over  to 
the  bed  and  pressed  Nami's  hand. 

"Iku,"  murmured  the  dying  woman. 

"Oh!  My  mistress,  take  me  with  you.  .  .  . 
Don't  leave  me  here.  ..." 

After  the  poor  sobbing  servant  had  been 
taken  from  the  room  silence  returned  once 
more. 

Nami  closed  her  eyes  and  her  mouth,  and 
the  shadow  of  death  began  to  fall  over  her 
countenance. 

The  general  leaned  over  to  her  ear  and  asked, 
"Nami,  have  you  nothing  to  say?  Open  your 
heart  freely.  ..." 

Hearing  herself  addressed  by  a  dear,  fa- 

[363] 


THE    HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

miliar  voice,  she  opened  her  eyes  and  looked  at 
her  aunt. 

"Nami-san,  I'll  do  everything  you  asked. 
Go  to  sleep  peacefully  ....  you're  going  to 
meet  your  mamma,"  said  Madame  Kato 
tenderly. 

A  faint  smile  came  to  Nami  's  lips ;  she  closed 
her  eyes  and  breathed  her  last  sigh. 

The  white,  cold  light  of  the  moon  still  illum- 
inated the  face  of  the  dead.  The  smile  seemed 
still  to  be  hovering  on  the  colorless  lips.  .  .  . 

Nami  had  sunk  into  her  last  sleep. 

Three  days  later  she  was  buried  in  the  cem- 
etery of  Aoyama. 

A  silent,  reverent  cortege  followed  her  coffin 
and  many  friends  came  to  pay  the  last  respects 
to  the  departed.  Those  who  knew  the  sad 
story  could  not  restrain  their  tears  as  they 
beheld  the  general,  broken  with  grief,  beside 
the  closed  grave  of  his  favorite  daughter. 
Even  strangers  were  moved  at  sight  of  old 
Iku,  who  was  giving  free  vent  to  her  grief,  and 
could  not  be  removed  from  the  grave. 

Although  the  flower  season  was  past,  many 
flowers  were  sent  by  friends,  since  the  deceased 
was  a  young  lady,  and  were  placed  upon  the 

[364] 


SAYONAEA! 

grave.  One  large  floral  offering,  however, 
brought  by  a  man  of  about  forty  years,  was 
refused.  ...  It  was  a  basket  of  flowers  bearing 
a  card,  with  the  inscription,  "From  the  Kawa- 
shima  family." 


[365] 


CHAPTER  X 
The  Meeting  at  the  Cemetery 

FOUE  months  had  passed  since  Nami's 
death. 

The  clock  had  just  struck  four  in  the 
afternoon.  The  shadow  of  a  sumach  stiffened 
in  the  icy  grip  of  the  frost  stretched  across  the 
garden,  lighted  by  the  rays  of  a  pale  sun.  The 
widow  Kawashima,  stouter  than  ever,  opened 
a  shojix  and  came  out  upon  the  veranda,  ap- 
proaching a  large  water  basin. 

Noticing  that  it  was  empty,  she  began  to  cry 
furiously,  "Matsu!  Take!" 

Upon  hearing  the  violent  commands  the 
two  women  ran  to  the  scene,  one  from  the 
garden,  the  other  hastening  upon  the  veranda. 
The  face  of  each  bore  an  expression  of  terror. 

"Where's  your  head?  Look  here.  ...  I've 
told  you  a  thousand  times.  ...  Is  that  how  you 
heed  me?" 

She  seized  a  dipper  and  herself  filled  the 

1  'Shoji.'      The    regular   Japanese    screen-window. 

[366] 


THE  MEETING  AT  THE  CEMETERY 

basin  with  water.  The  two  girls  looked  on, 
motionless,  holding  their  breath. 

"Off  with  you!"  cried  the  widow,  and  they 
ran  away  at  once. 

She  was  still  muttering  to  herself  when  one 
of  the  girls  reappeared,  bowing  humbly. 

"What  is  it?  asked  the  widow. 

"A  gentleman.  .  .  .    Yamaki-san." 

At  sound  of  this  name  an  ironic  smile  flitted 
across  the  widow's  lips. 

Yamaki  had  been  a  rare  visitor  to  the  Kawa- 
shima  home  after  his  daughter  Toyo  had  re- 
turned to  her  paternal  roof. 

"Tell  him  to  come  in." 

Yamaki  entered.  His  countenance  revealed 
a  certain  embarrassment. 

1  i  Yamaki-san,  you  've  become  quite  a  stranger 
hereabouts." 

"How's  that!"  asked  the  visitor,  as  if  to 
excuse  himself.  "If  that's  so,  it's  certainly 
not  intentional  on  my  part.  I  would  have  come 
sooner  and  more  frequently  if  it  hadn't  been 
for  my  being  overwhelmed  with  business  after 
my  return  from  the  scene  of  the  war.  I'm 
happy  to  find  the  baroness  in  good  health." 

"They  say  that  you  made  a  heap  of  money 
in  the  war !  Is  that  so  ?  "  Indeed,  this  fact  had 

[367] 


THE   HEART   OF   NAMI-SAN 

contributed  in  no  small  measure  to  the  widow 's 
displeasure. 

' 'Oh,  well.  People  are  quick  to  gossip.  .  .  . 
The  profits  hardly  repay  my  effort.  I  must 
congratulate  you  on  Takeo's  promotion.  I  see 
in  the  newspapers  that  he  was  decorated  for 
bravery.  The  baroness  must  certainly  be  proud 
of  him.  Where  is  he  now?" 

"Takeo?     He  arrived  yesterday." 

11  How's  his  health?" 

"Fine.  Fine.  But  he  hasn't  the  same  merry 
spirits  as  before.  .  .  .  This  morning  he  went 
out  very  early  and  hasn't  returned  yet." 

"You  must  be  very  glad  to  have  him  back 
again.  .  .  .  General  Kataoka's  family  is  very 
cruelly  stricken.  You  simply  can't  do  anything 
for  diseases  of  that  sort.  It  was  very  prudent 
on  your  part  to  avert  misfortune  just  in 
time.  ..." 

The  widow  Kawashima  looked  very  sternly 
at  him  when  he  named  the  Kataoka  family. 

"You  can't  imagine  what  unpleasantness 
that  family  has  caused  us.  They  cost  us  a 
mountain  of  money,  brought  discord  into  the 
bosom  of  my  home,  and  as  if  that  weren't 
enough  they  called  me  a  very  demon.  Listen 
Yamaki:  On  the  day  of  the  funeral  I  sent  a 

[368] 


THE  MEETING  AT  THE  CEMETERY 

large  bouquet  of  flowers  with  Tazaki.  Would 
you  believe  it?  They  refused  them !  Isn't  that 
disgraceful,  Yamaki-san  ? 

Upon  first  hearing  the  news  of  Nami's  death 
Madame  Kawashima  had  been  disposed  to  feel 
compassion,  but  after  the  refusal  of  the  flowers 
this  kind  sentiment  gave  way  to  anger. 

' '  They  were  wrong.  Certainly,  anyone  would 
be  justified  in  feeling  offended.  .  .  .  May  I  an- 
nounce the  engagement  of  my  daughter?" 

"What?  Your  daughter  betrothed?  And 
who  is  the  lucky  man?" 

"A  young  college  graduate,  now  employed 
at  the  head  offices  of  the  Department  of  In- 
dustry and  Commerce.  I  believe  you  know  him. 
He  was  very  close  friends  with  Chijiwa.  .  .  . 
Poor  Chijiwa!  His  death  grieved  me  so 
much!  .  .  .  ." 

"A  horrible  thing,  war. ..."  sighed  the  widow 
Kawashima.  "And  when  will  the  wedding 
take  place?" 

"We  have  arranged  it  for  the  day  after  to- 
morrow," replied  Yamaki.  "Your  presence 
would  honor  us  very  greatly.  My  wife  wanted 
to  come  in  person  to  invite  you,  but  it  was  im- 
possible. .  .  .  The  baron  will  favor  us  by  com- 
ing too,  won't  he?" 

[369] 


THE   HEART    OF   NAMI-SAN 

The  widow  lowered  her  head  and  was  silent. 
Then  she  looked  at  the  clock,  which  was  just 
then  striking  five,  and  murmured,  "I'd  like  to 
know  what 's  taking  Takeo  so  long. ' ' 

A  naval  officer  holding  a  large  bouquet  of 
white  chrysanthemums  entered  the  cemetery  of 
Aoyama  from  Minamicho  Street. 

It  was  the  day  of  Niiname-sai." 

The  autumn  sky  was  calm  and  clear.  A  pale 
sun  cast  its  light  over  the  burial  ground.  .  .  . 
A  few  leaves  were  falling  from  the  cherry  trees 
and  the  sazankwa3  filled  the  air  with  perfume. 
Once  the  noise  of  the  kurumas  rolling  over  the 
pavement  had  died  in  the  distance  no  sound 
came  to  disturb  the  quiet  of  the  garden  of  the 
dead.  The  confused  clamor  of  the  city  pene- 
trated to  this  spot  like  an  echo,  —  a  sad,  fan- 
tastic echo  of  wretched  human  lives. 

Through  these  paths  of  peace  walked  a  young 
lady  with  weary  step.  Her  eyes  were  swollen 
with  tears  and  she  held  by  the  hand  a  little  boy 
of  about  six,  dressed  like  a  sailor.  As  they 
passed  Takeo  the  little  boy  asked,  "Mamma, 
is  that  man  a  naval  officer,  too?" 

*  'Niiname-sai.'      The   day   of   the   offering    of   new   rice    to    the   Kami 

(the   gods)    and  to  the   Emperor. 

*  Sort  of  camelia. 

[370] 


THE  MEETING  AT  THE  CEMETERY 

The  lady  brought  her  handkerchief  to  her 
eyes  without  replying. 

The  young  officer  walked  slowly  along,  look- 
ing about  and  stopping  now  and  then  to  read 
the  inscription  upon  freshly  made  graves.  At 
length  he  reached  a  grave  surrounded  by  small 
pines  and  bushes.  He  pushed  open  the  little 
iron  gate  and  walked  into  the  enclosure.  Sud- 
denly his  gaze  fell  upon  a  stone  well  worn  by 
time,  at  the  side  of  which  was  another  bearing 
an  inscription  newly  made.  A  young  pine  cast 
its  shadow  over  the  stone  and  some  yellow 
leaves  had  fallen  upon  it  from  a  nearby  cherry- 
tree.  In  black  characters  there  was  inscribed 

the  legend: 

» 

KATA-OKA   NAMI-KO   NO   HAKA, 

Tomb  of  Nami  Kataoka 

The  officer  could  scarcely  remove  his  gaze 
from  that  cold  inscription ;  he  remained  for  sev- 
eral moments  as  motionless  as  a  statue.  .  .  . 
Only  an  uncontrollable  trembling  agitated  his 
lips,  through  which,  from  time  to  time,  issued  a 
deep  sigh. 

Takeo  had  returned  on  the  preceding  day. 
After  the  moment's  meeting  with  Nami  dur- 

[371] 


THE    HEART    OF   N AMI-SAN 

ing  his  trip  to  Formosa  five  months  before  he 
had  received  no  news  of  her  until  the  day  upon 
which  a  letter  from  Madame  Kato  informed 
him  of  Nami's  death.  He  returned  at  once, 
questioned  the  viscountess  as  to  the  details  of 
Kami's  final  moments.  And  now,  recalling  the 
sad  story,  he  could  not  restrain  the  tears  that 
fell  copiously  upon  the  cold  grave. 

The  happy  days  of  their  love,  the  ecstasy  at 
Ikao,  the  sadness  of  their  visit  to  the  temple 
of  Pndo,  the  last  evening  spent  at  Zushi  and 
then,  the  final  meeting,  as  brief  as  a  flash. 
The  voice  crying  "Come  back  soon!"  still 
echoed  in  his  ears.  .  .  .  He  had  returned  once, 
only  to  find  her  no  longer  his  wife.  He  had  re- 
turned a  second  time,  and  she  was  gone  forever. 

"Oh!  Nami-san,  why  have  you  abandoned 
me?"  he  exclaimed  through  his  tears. 

A  gust  of  wind  that  showered  him  with  leaves 
awoke  him  from  his  revery.  He  wiped  his 
eyes  and  bent  over  the  tomb,  scattering  the 
leaves  so  that  he  might  deck  it  with  fresh  flow- 
ers. Then  from  his  pocket  he  drew  a  sheet  of 
paper:  Nami's  letter.  He  opened  it  for  the 
hundredth  time.  The  handwriting  did  not  bear 
the  slightest  resemblance  to  her  usual  style. 
The  letters  lacked  form,  the  ink  was  pale  and 

[372] 


THE  MEETING  AT  THE  CEMETERY 

blotched,  and  here  and  there  the  writing  was 
stained  with  tears. 

"I  write  to  you,  beloved,  because  I  feel  that 
I  shall  soon  die.  My  days  are  numbered.  I 
hoped  so  much  to  see  you  before  I  should  die! 
Our  brief  meeting,  the  fleeting  moment  that 
Heaven  was  so  kind  to  send  us,  filled  me  with 
joy.  But  in  that  very  moment  I  was  unable  to 
express  my  feelings.  .  .  . ' ' 

The  image  of  Nami,  with  her  face  thrust 
through  the  window,  waving  her  handkerchief 
to  him,  rose  clearly  before  Takeo's  eyes.  He 
raised  his  eyes,  they  encountered  nothing  but 
the  cold  grave  and  the  swaying  pine. 

He  resumed  his  reading  of  the  letter. 

"I  lived  a  life  of  misfortune  and  my  wishes 
never  came  true.  But  I  cherish  hatred  for 
no  one.  My  body  returns  to  the  earth,  but 
my  spirit  will  always  be  near  you.  ..." 

"Papa,  someone  is  in  there,"  cried  the  shrill 
voice  of  a  child.  Then  the  same  voice  con- 
tinued, "Papa,  it's  friend  Kawashima!" 

Takeo,  whose  hand  still  grasped  Nami's  let- 
ter, raised  his  eyes  in  surprise  and  his  gaze 
met  that  of  General  Kataoka,  who  was  ap- 
proaching. Mi-chan  had  rushed  forward  to 
greet  him. 

[373] 


THE   HEAET   OF   NAMI-SAN 

Takeo  lowered  his  eyes  and  did  not  move. 

All  at  once  he  felt  his  hand  grasped  in  an 
affectionate,  hearty  grip. 

"Takeo-san,  my  heart,  too,  is  broken.  .  .  . 
I,  too,  have  suffered." 

The  two  men  clasped  their  hands  firmly  as 
the  tears  rolled  down  their  cheeks. 

Several  moments  passed.  The  general  wiped 
his  eyes  and  placing  his  hands  upon  Takeo 's 
shoulder  he  broke  the  silence. 

' '  Takeo-san, '  '  he  said  firmly,  '  *  Nami  is  dead. 
But  I  am  your  father  just  the  same.  You  still 
have  a  long  road  to  travel.  Courage,  my  boy! 
The  misfortunes  that  befall  us  should  give  us 
strength  for  new  battles.  ...  It 's  only  through 
trials  that  we  become  men  and  our  hearts  are 
steeled.  It's  a  long  time  since  I've  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  you.  Come,  let's  walk  off 
together,  and  tell  me  all  about  your  experiences 
at  Formosa. 


THE  END 


[374] 


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